


Getting to Know You and Your Stupid Friends will be the Death of Me

by StormyGaddon



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Depression, Developing Relationship, Drinking, Dry Humping, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Getting to Know Each Other, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of Death, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ren is a huge Akechi Fan and he sucks at hiding it, Self Loathing, Slight descriptions of suicide, Slight mentions of character from royal, Slow Burn, akeshu - Freeform, all of his friends know about it and tease him endlessly, but he still loves them, but their is a lot that is going to happen before that, consensual dry humping, descriptions of death, detective case files, first time drinking, first time drunk, getting home drunk, mentions of charater death, mentions of proof of justice, mentions of suicide but it's brief, shuake
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:13:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 42,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24214228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormyGaddon/pseuds/StormyGaddon
Summary: Goro Akechi always preferted to be alone, he grew up that way and has no intetion of accepting pitty from those around him. He made a name for himself as the Charming Prince Detective that no one seems to stop talking about. It wasn't like he had time to worry about trival matters such as friends or realtionships anyway, with having to keep up his persona of the Charming Prince, studying for school, and helping the police durring his intership find the culprit behind the string of Red-Light District Assults.Ren Amamiya happens to be Goro Akechi's (not so secret) number one fan. While his friends enjoy teasing him, his hopes for meeting his idol are near none. That is until Akechi decides to start stopping by Leblanc to study and prepare case files.While Ren is determined to break down his walls, Akechi is determined  to push him away at all costs while simultaneously wanting to hold him close and never let go.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira
Comments: 87
Kudos: 223





	1. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~F I N A L LY ~ I was able to fix the formating issue for this chapter. I hope I got everything, but if something looks off, hopefully I'll be able to catch it.
> 
> Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please enjoy!

“Thank you for having me on the show today, I’m really happy to be here and see you all.” Goro Akechi, or The Charming Detective Prince as everyone would come to call him over the last few years, smiled as he took his seat and waved to the audicance. He was an up and coming detective who had been working part-time with the police force since high school, and according to his fan site, to which Ren would swear to anyone who asked that he joined merely out of curiosity, he had recently been selected to intern with someone from the Special investigation Department of the Public Prosecutors Office in Tokyo.

Ren places the cup he had been washing onto a dying rack and turns slightly to glance at the TV beside him. Normally, he would never bother to switch the channel or mess with the settings while Sojiro stepped out, but this time he reaches up to increase the volume and leans against the bar. As he watches, Ren knew that Sojiro wouldn’t mind him slacking off near the end of the day since all of Lebanc’s customers had already left anyway. It’s not like he was paying him after all. But when Akechi laughs at something the hosts says to him, Ren is suddenly paying more attention and Akechi leads into the hosts next question. Although he had been at the taping the other day for Shujin’s field trip, it felt like an entirely new experience watching it from the cafe.

“In response to the latest string of abductions and murders in the red-light district, I’m sadly not at liberty to speak freely about the case, but I can say that we have started to make a little bit of a breakthrough.” Akechi folds one leg over the other and keeps up a casual conversation with the host for a few minutes, the conversation eventually leading back to Akechi’s personal life rather than his private investigations. He brushes a stray lock of hair behind his ear as he grins to the audience, only for it to fall back into his face. Charming.

Eventually, the host turns to the audience and asks a girl sitting in the audience, someone that had been on the school trip with Ren that day and sitting only a few seats down from him, if their is anything she would like to ask the Charming Prince Detective. She stands and stutters for a moment as if unable to think clearly in the midst of an idol.

“Oh come now, I can’t be that scary,” Akechi is all but beaming, smiling down at her as she begins to calm down and ask her question, asking him where he would bring his girlfriend for the perfect date. He flaughters only for a moment before laughing it off and answering her question “Well you see, I’d first start by seeing where it would be that they would like to go...” his voice trails on as the bell above Leblanc’s door jingles and Ren turns to see Sojiro with a fresh pack of cigarettes in one hand and a few bags of groceries in the other.

He takes a few steps in and places the bags on the counter, keeping his eyes on the Tv “Ain’t that where you kids went for your trip?” Sojiro asks as he flips the cafe’s sign and switches off the outside lights. Ren nods in acknowledgement and looks back again as Akechi answers another one of his classmates’ questions, this time it being his friend Ann. “Oh, Akechi’s interview? You know, I think his mentor comes here from time to time. Her name is Nijima.” And that was all it took to lure Ren in.

“Nijima? She was the one who came in here not long ago asking questions about Futaba, right?” Ren asks, no longer paying attention to the interview and instead helps Sojiro to put away the groceries and finish closing up shop for the night. He nods “Yeah, that one. I think she said a few weeks back that she took on an intern, wasn’t really paying attention, but she might have said it was Akechi.” Ren places the last of the curry ingredients into the fridge, contemplating if he should use the day’s leftovers to prep some lunch for tomorrow, but when Morgana brushes against the bottom of his leg he forgets all about that.

“Hey kid, what’d I say about the cat in the shop?” However, despite the words they held no ill will as Sojiro picked Morgana up and ran his fingers along his fur, earning a soft purr in return.

“Sorry Boss, you know I can’t say no to that face,” Ren replies, grinning when Sojiro only huffs and places Morgana back on the floor. “How often does Nijima stop in?”

Sojiro pauses and thinks “Usually, she stops in for a few hours to catch on work on the weekends, the girl hardly stops by during the week with how much she’s got going on. But, sometimes she might also stop in on Fridays afterwork? Dunno kid, she’s pretty random at times.” He finishes putting away the last of the dishes for the day that Ren had cleaned previously and waves him off “Alright kid, don’t forget to lock up if you leave, and don’t burn my shop down.”

“Will do, good night,” he returns the wave and bends down to pick Morgana up again, taking him back up stairs to the attic to turn in for the night. “Did you hear that Mona? Think she’ll bring him here sometime?” He runs his fingers along Morgana’s fur just as Sojiro had and places a quick kiss to his forehead. Ren’s phone buzzes and he pulls it out to catch up on the group chat. He removes his shoes and lays back in his bed, looking over the messages.

-

**_Ryuji: Yooo!!! Guys, did you see us on TV???_ **

**_Ann: Yeah! I can’t believe we’re famous now >:]_ **

**_Ann: Do you think he watches his own interviews?_ **

**_Futaba: Probably not, no reason for him anway. I’d hate to watch MY own interview. Blugh._ **

**_Ryuji: You’d have to leave your house in order to even do one_ **

**_Futaba: Mewhehe tru tru, but I’m quite content with my life as a shut in_ **

**_Yusuke: Ren, you were there too, where you not? I didn’t see you at all._ **

**_Ren: Yeah, I was there._ **

**_Ren:But Ryuji’s head was blocking me the whole time_ **

**_Haru: I’m so jealous of you all! I miss being at Shujin. I hope you all_ **

**_had fun!_ **

**_Ryuji: it was fun n all until RenRen couldn’t meet Prince Charming HAHA_ **

**_Ann: Oh that’s right!!!_ **

**_Ann: I thought Ren was going curl into a ball and cry when he couldn’t get an autograph_ **

**_Ann: We had to drag him back onto the bus with tears in his eyes_ **

**_Ryuji: #RenRen4EverAlone_ **

**_Ren:I was perfectly fine without getting an autograph, thank you very much_ **

**_Ren: and I didn’t cry_ **

**_Futaba: so then you wouldn’t mind me telling everyone how you cried to Mona the second you were alone?_ **

**_Ryuji: You still got that place bugged??? Daaam, remind me to never piss you off Futaba_ **

**_Futaba: Only in the shop, gotta give poor Ren SOME sorta privacy Mewhehe_ **

**_Ren: #YoureAllBlocked #MyFriendsAreTheWorst_ **

**_Ryuji: Haha man don’t be like that! You know we love ya, just love teasing you about your celeb crush more ;)_ **

**_Ann: Isn’t it funny tho? Ren’s so charismatic and charming, but put him in front of a celebrity and he melts! This is a new side to you._ **

**_Yusuke: Our fearless leader is nothing but a shy school girl at heart. How beautiful. Inspiring really._ **

**_Yusuke: It’s okay Ren, sometimes I feel the same way when I come across a very good sale for new paint. It feels like my heart is light as a feather and just the knowledge of not paying full price has be at the brink of tears._ **

-

Ren closes his phone and rolls over to snuggle closer to Morgana who had curled up next to his head. He presses his face into the soft fur. “Do you think I have a crush on Akechi too, Mona?” Morgana yawns and stretches before curling back in on himself, purring as he falls asleep beside Ren. “Yeah, I thought so too. No way do I have a crush on him.” He pulls his blanket over his shoulder, drifting blissfully into the realm of dreams and definitely not thinking about how beautiful Goro Akechi is. Or what kinda shampoo he uses to get his hair to look that nice.

Fuck. Maybe he did think about him a little too much.

When he was almost asleep, Ren felt his phone buzz again, this time it was a private message from Futaba.

-

**_Futaba: Here you go fan boy, don’t stay I never did anything for you_ **

-

As he started at the photo before him, Ren thought about Ryuji's words before. He’d better remember to never piss off Futaba. Before him where three photos from the Station the day of the taping.

Photo number one. It was of Ren waiting in line to get Akechi’s signature. He had been waiting over twenty minutes while Ryuji and Ann went shopping for souvenirs and their were still at least fifteen people ahead of him, all taking selfies with Akechi and holding up the line. It was captured at the exact moment Ryuji had told them they needed to get back to the bus.

Photo number two. Ann had come up to him by this time and was grabbing his arm, trying to pull him to the bus. Okay, maybe he had been a bit persistent in not going back. It wasn’t his fault anyway, this was a one in a life meeting.

Photo number three. Ren would deny it up and down that this photo made his heart pound and his face heat up. He was just embarrassed that’s all. He was just upset that he had to leave without an autograph and he had to stand in line so long. Nothing more. But, the third photo was from a different angle this time, closer to Akechi, right in the middle of taking a selfie with another person. Futaba had definitely blown this one just, just to show more detail in it. Akechi wasn’t looking at the camera of the girl taking his photo, but rather at two people dragging their baby of a friend back to their school bus. He was definitely looking at them. Fuck.

-

**_Futaba: He was TOTES checking you out!! >;)_ **

**_Futaba: and not just cus you’re a total fool either_ **

**_Futaba: 20,000 Yen and I’ll send you the ones from his dressing room next_ **

**_Ren: I refuse to succumb to blatant extortion_ **

-

Futaba was definitely a dangerous girl, and an amazing ally.

-

**_Futaba: Kidding, kidding. You don’t want him to find out about those when you two start dating_ **

**_;]]_ **

**_Futaba: And besides, just one look at your bank account and I already know you can’t afford my rates._ **

-

Scratch that. She was going to be the absolute end of him.

* * *

_“Well you see, I’d first start by seeing where it would be that they would like to go...”_

Akechi paces around his apartment, the interview playing quietly in the background, having lost interest in it sometime ago. “Sorry Sae, I won’t be able to make it in on Monday for the court hearing. Yes, yes I know the case is important, but so are my classes. I need to prepare for a presentation in class next week.” He says, holding his phone away from his ear slightly when Sea Nijima begins to raise her voice to him, again. “Yelling won’t make my other classes go away, you know. But this is the last project of the semester. I’ll be able to focus more once winter break starts. Yes, I got it, I understand.” The line goes dead and Akechi finds himself sighing, slumping onto his couch and staring up at the ceiling.

In his head, he goes over the day’s events. It was Friday but that didn’t mean he had time to rest. He had been in classes from six am to four in the afternoon, then it was straight to Sae’s office for his internship. She had piled multiple new files on to his desk, and he was to be assisting in field work later in the day as they had gotten news of another assault in Shinjuku. Crime never waits and it certainly didn’t wait for Goro Akechi to be able to take a nap between school and work. And as if he wasn’t busy enough, he still had his group project to worry about.

He holds his phone over his face and scrolls through his social media abcently and considers ordering take out, again. Usually, he would spend time organizing his own blog, but today he didn’t have the energy and merely settled for looking for recommendations from his followers for which hot spot Goro Akechi should check out next. There was a cafe in Kichijoji that seemed promising, maybe he could go incognito and check it out.

When a text from Makoto, Sae’s younger sister and his current group partner for the presentation next week, came through it was the last thing that he had really wanted to see in that moment.

-

**_Makoto: Sorry about Sis, she’s been a bit over worked lately, but don’t worry I’ve talked to her about our project. Would tomorrow work for you?_ **

-

He wanted to say no. He should really tell her to go screw herself. To hell with the project, to teamwork. It wouldn't do him any good regardless. He could manage on his own, he always does.

-

**_Akechi: Yes, tomorrow will work fine. Did you have a place in mind?_ **

**_Makoto: My sister recommended the Cafe she frequents in Yogen Jaya called LeBlanc. How_ **

**_does that sound?_ **

**_Makoto: She says it’s very quiet_ **

**_Akechi: That could work. How about 11am?_ **

**_Makoto: That works for me. See you tomorrow. Good Night._ **

**_Akechi: Okay, good night._ **

-

He didn’t want to agree, he shouldn’t have agree. But really, did he have a choice in the matter? Akechi rolls onto his stomach and screams as loud as he can into the couchin. In that moment it does not matter if the walls in his apartment are thin, if he neighbors can hear him, he needs this. When the scream dies down, he screams again, then again, until his chest is burning and his neighbor pounds on their shared wall full forse, but he does not care at all. He rolls again onto his back and stares at the ceiling as he runs his fingers through his bangs, steadying his breath, but when another sob threatens to bubble up from his chest yet, he can’t help but let it over take him.

Was the room getting smaller?

Had the ceiling always been that low?

He knows he left the lights on before, but why did it feel so dark?

He tries to breath, but the air is stuck in his throat, his breaths are shallow and too quick and he cannot stop. Akechi pulls his knees to his chest and he tries to breath again, but it’s too quick still and his chest hurts more and more with each passing second as if someone had lit his lungs on fire and each breath only fanned those flames. Tears and snot still dripped down his face and he couldn’t think straight, but before long, he started to feel at peace. His body felt lighter, but cold at the same time, and the room was silent. At first it felt as if he couldn’t open his eyes, and he was no longer feeling the stress he had felt before. It was calm, it was peaceful. And when he finally found the strength to open his eyes again, he realises that he had fallen asleep in his clothes from yesterday and his watch now read 7:38 am.

It truly was looking to be yet another wonderful day in the life of Goro Akechi.

  
  



	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part two, I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> And again, thank you to my wonderful Beta reader, I could not have gotten this far without you <3

10:52 am

Akechi looks down at his watch as he exits the station at Yongen-Jaya and makes his way towards the backstreets Makoto had stated he would find the cafe. He hustles by the faceless people around him, hurrying as to not be late, when his shoulder bumps into another person walking beside him.His laptop case falls to the ground and slides a few feet from him. The case ends at the feet of another bystander and Akechi smiles at him briefly, a little bit flustered when the other person bends down to pick it up. “My apologies, must have slipped. I was in a bit of a hurry”

When he locks eyes with them, the first thing Akechi notices is how sharp his eyes seem to stare into his own. “It’s okay,” he replies and holds out the case towards him. Akechi takes it, still staring straight into those eyes and he can almost see himself reflecting back in his thick rimmed glasses. The next thing Akechi notices is the slight flush now creeping up the other’s face, then down to the uniform the young man was wearing. A black, tightly fit blazer with crimson buttons hugs his chest and a uniquely styled pair of neat slacks clings to his legs, both are in obvious good condition as well. He seems familiar in a way. Had they met somewhere before? Akechi looks down at his watch again, 10:57. Shit.

“Sorry to be a bother but, do you happen to know the area well? I’m afraid I’ve never been to this area before and I'm running a little late.” The boy shifts his bag over his shoulder and his eyes quickly dart to an opening in the bag before looking back at him.

“Yes, actually, I live around here” He responds, but pauses, hesitant and adjusting the glasses that had slipped down his nose, “where are you trying t-...” However, his words are interrupted when another person joins the party.

Makoto smiles towards the man and she places herself between them, “Oh, Amamiya, fancy seeing you here. How have you been? You haven’t been causing trouble with Sakamoto since I’ve been gone, have you. ” Her tone is casual, yet polite, and she seems almost playful.

“Ryuji’s the same as always, but you know us, always the troublemakers I guess. That would probably explain why I’ll barely be making it to class in time for lunch today.” They both laugh together and the boy’s smile becomes wider, the previous redness from his face is all but gone now. Makoto speaks with him as if they were long separated friends casually meeting up for the first time in years.

11:02. They could both really talk, he seems like he was quite pleasant towards Makoto. Akechi clears his throat and Makoto looks shocked and suddenly seems embarrassed “I’m sorry, where are my manners? This is Amamiya Ren, we used to go to Shuji before I graduated

And Amamiya, I'm sure you already know this but, this is Akechi.” She turns back to him “You’re a third year now, correct?” To which Ren nods.

Ren. Third Year. Shujin Academy. And just like that, suddenly he remembers.

He’s that boy from the TV station the other day, the one who’s friends had to pull him back to the buses. The one that he had watched whine loudly when their teachers started gathering them all up to leave for the day. The words play over in his head from that day.

_“I’ve been in line for twenty minutes guys!”_

_“Just a few more minutes, okay? It’s almost my turn.”_

_“Mona was really looking forward to this, you know? He really wanted an autograph”_

_“Okay, it was really for Sojiro, but he didn’t wanna say anything.”_

_“GUYS”_

Akechi brings his hand to his mouth to stifle his laugh, smiling and closing his eyes as he remembers now. He doesn’t mean for it to catch Makoto and Ren’s attention, but when their eyes are on him again.He’s trying hard to stifle his laugh, but honestly, he feels a little distracted by how adorable he now finds the way Ren stares at him. So, he’s a fan boy huh? It’s Makoto who speaks first “It was nice seeing you, Amamiya, we should meet up again soon. And you should hurry to class before I call Mr. Kobayakawa and tell him you're cutting class,” She winks at Ren, who merely laughs and rolls his eyes.

“Okay,okay fine. And yes,let’s hang out soon! It would be very nice to catch up again, Nijima. Do you still have my number?”

“I do, thank you. Let’s get going, Akechi.” She waves one last time as she gently pinches the edge of his jacket sleeve and pulls him along in the direction of the exit, trying not to get separated in the swarm of people.

Akechi takes one last look over his shoulder to see Ren is still staring at them. They both lock eyes once more, and Akechi feels like time around them has stopped again. As if there is no one else in that crowded subway. Behind those glasses are sharp, analytical, captivating eyes that seem to see right into him, and he feels them wanting to break down every wall that he has built up. All around them there is nothing but silence and the sound of his own heartbeat ranging in his ears, pounding so loud he believes even Makoto will be able to hear it.

He feels his feet moving in front of his, but no matter how many steps he takes it seems Ren always stays in his field of verion, standing out among the faceless passerbys around them. His stare is cold, but captivating and had Makoto not been there guiding him through the masses, Akechi wasn’t sure his feet would be able to move on their own accord.

Then, just as suddenly as time had felt it stopped, everything came rushing back. The sound of the trains below rushing by, a mother who chides her son begging to go to the crepe stand, the fact that they’re now stepping out of the station, and the woman at his side whose voice breaks his trance, asking if he’s okay. Akechi looks back to her, and nods “I’m okay, thank you. Just really looking forward to the coffee your sister always recommends.” 11:15. Akechi looks down at his watch again as they take a few more steps forward and finally they have made it to their destination, slightly late, but at least they've arrived.

Within minutes, they both have an entire booth to themselves in the back of Lebanc, coffee ordered, and Akechi has his laptop connected to the Wifi. They’re chatting among themselves about the presentation when their coffee is placed in front of them “There's a face I haven’t seen in a while. Too bad Ren’s not around, you just missed him.”

“Oh Boss,nice to see again .It has been a long time,hasn't it?We actually ran into him on the way here.” Sojiro slides Akechi’s coffee closer to him, seeming to look him up and down, before walking away.

11:30 

12:00

12:30 

1:00

1:30

2:00

2:30

  
  


The Late-December air permeates the small shop and Akechi finds himself adjusting his scarf closer around his neck and ordering another hot coffee, now his third in their time there. He wants to throw everything back into his case, call it a day, and go back to bed. As he lets out a long yawn something suddenly brushes against his leg and he nearly jumps, only to look down and see a black and white cat rubbing up against his leg, purring loudly and staring at him with large blue eyes.

Makoto looks down and laughs “It looks like Morgana has made a new friend. I think he likes you.”

“Ah, I see you’re already acquainted.” He looks down at the cat, who bends his front legs before jumping up into the booth and settling himself into Akechi’s lap “And it looks like I’m no longer allowed to move.” Honestly, he has never seen the appeal of cats, but that is probably because he never had one as a pet. Morgana purrs deeply against his lap, closing his eyes as Akechi stokes from his head down past his back, then repeating the motion several times.

It is the click of porcelain against the table and Sojiro’s sigh that bring his attention back up “Damn it, sorry, I told that kid the cat needs to stay outta the shop so many times already,” Sojiro says as he shakes his head, one hand on his hip and a disapproving look on his face. However, as if on queue Morgana yawns loudly and shifts in Akechi’s lap, now kneading his thigh and somehow the purr from before seems louder now. Maybe cats were cute after all.

“It’s quite alright, he seems like he’s enjoying it here. Let’s let him nap a bit.” Akechi responds And Sojiro shrugs it off, walking away to tend to another customer. Carefully, as to not disturb Morgana, Akechi removes his phone from his back pocket and opens the camera. He angles the lens , furrowing his brows for a moment, trying to get the best shot of the coffee Sojiro had prepared.

“I didn’t take you for the type food photo type, Akechi.” Makoto says.

“It seems you’ve caught me. I actually run a food blog in my spare time, and Leblanc sure seems to uphold the high regards your sister gave it.” He snaps several photos, looks through them and feels satisfied with one. As an afterthought, he angles the camera back down to the cat in his lap, his right hand cupping the side of Morgana’s face and takes another photo. He then puts his phone away to focus on his work, using his free hand to stoke Morgana from time to time.

When it’s nearing three in the afternoon, their presentation seems almost complete. They would be presenting it on Tuesday as part of their final exam before winter break. Makoto writes a few more words in her note book before announcing that they seemed to have made enough of a breakthrough with their progress, and that with the amount of work completed, they should be able to finish their respected amount of work on their own, to which Akechi agrees. Despite the long hours, at least now they were almost finished with the godforsaken assignment.

As he places his laptop back into his case, Akechi shifts his leg and Morgana mewls, rolling off his lap and rushing up the stairs in the back of the shop. His eyes follow him up the stairs before he disappears out of sight, Makoto seems to catch his eye and look behind them as well. “That’s Amamiya’s room up there.”

Akechi slips his jacket back over his shoulders, still looking in the direction of the old staircase “His room?”

Makoto follows suit and stands, gathering her belongings into her bag “Yes, he’s been living in Boss’s attic since he moved to Tokyo last year on probation.” Probation? Akech ponders her words for a moment, knowing Makoto she wouldn’t align herself with a delinquent, but yet they seemed to get along rather comfortably back at the station. And judging from how he saw him the other day at the station, he did not seem to be too unruly, in fact he seemed a little charming in a way. He would need to do some digging. “I guess this is where we part ways, thank you for working with me today. I need to hurry off now.” She waves him off and leaves the shop.

Akechi is finishing buttoning his jacket when he notices that Sojiro has stepped out of the cafe and is currently smoking. On the bar Akechi spots the notepad and pen that Sojiro had used earlier when he was taking orders picks them up. He remembers back to the day at the station again and grins, taking his time to write his signature as cleanly as he can then adds a small sketch of Morgana meowing. And for the final touch, he glaces out to see Sojiro is still has about half of his cigarette left, he hesitantly takes a few steps up towards the cafe’s attic where he had seen Morgana disappear.

The room itself is dusty, but at the same time has a rustic feel to it. Ren’s bed is tidy and made, despite the fact that Makoto commented earlier that he was running very late to school. A somewhat dying plant sat tucked away in the corner and various souvenirs seem to be decorating the shelf next to it. A Red and Black pair of Featherman figures set atop a work desk next to Ren’s bed, and that seemed like the perfect place to leave the autograph. As he places it, Morgana makes himself known again and Akechi can’t resist taking another picture of him when he meows sweetly at him. He picks him up and takes a photo of them both before placing Morgana back down.

It was time to hurry and leave before he got too carried away.

\---

It is ten minutes into the lunch period when Ren arrives at school, rushing to the lunch room and sitting next to Ryuji and Ann at their usual table. He’s breathing deeply, having just walked as quickly as he could in order to see them. He’s attempting to catch his breath and slams his hand on the table “Ann. Ryuji. We need to talk.”

“You good dude? What’s up?” Ryuji asks.

“I saw him. I saw Goro Akechi on my way here. And you will not believe who I saw with him,” he responds. He places his arms in front of him on the table and sighs loudly as he slumps over, his glasses clinking as his face hits the table with a soft thud. “My life is over. Ruined before I even got the chance to ask him to take me to his Top Ten Best Eats in Shibuya.”

Ann places her hand on his head and tussles his already messy locks “Cheer up, I’m sure it can’t be that bad. What happened?”

Another long sigh. Followed by silence. Then another slow, long sigh as Ren rolls his face to the side to look at her and Ryuji “Do you remember Nijima? They were both at the station today, together, and they were heading to Yongen Jaya.”

“C’mon man, that ain’t that bad. So what, he’s in Yongen, big whoop.” Ryuji replies as he tears open the package of a Yakisoba bun then pushes a second in Ren’s direction.

Ren accepts it and sits back up, acting like a normal human being for once “I don’t know, it was just kinda weird I guess? And a little bit exciting, I mean, why would he be in Yongen? I almost got to have a conversation with him, but that’s when Nijima came up to us and I ended up just talking to her instead.” He rests his elbow on the table and places his cheek against the palm of his hand while the three of them enjoy the rest of their lunch period together. It’s Ann who points out first that it’s strange to see Ren without Mona in his bag and that must be the reason for his miserable day, but he dismisses it saying that he must have had snuck out of his bag without him noticing.

Ryuji halfheartedly asks what their plans for the weekend are, then the conversation switches to what they would do for winter break. As none of them had any dates planned for Christmas Eve, they agreed they should gather everyone up for a viewing party at Leblanc after it closed on the 24th and watch the Featherman Christmas special together. While none of them had been the biggest fans of the series growing up, Futaba had managed to change that all once she joined their group last year. Haru and Yusuke went to different schools than them, and Futaba busied herself with online classes all day, however they agreed that they would do their best to try and plan at least one monthly get together where they would all join in.

The three of them stand and clear their area and the lunch bell rings. As they walk back to class, Ryuji is the first to text the group chat.

\---

_**Ryuji: What do you guys say about a party at Leblanc on the 24th? We’re all single here still, yeah?** _

_**Ryuji: except Haru I mean** _

_**Ryuji: Thinkin’ about steaming the new Featherman Christmas Special** _

_**Yusuke: I’d very much enjoy that, especially if Boss happens to have leftover curry available as well.** _

_**Haru: I’ll clear my schedule and be there! I miss you all <3 **_

_**Ann: We should do a gift exchange!! It could be fun** _

_**Futaba :Ooooooh! Gifts, I like it. I’m with you on that one Ann.** _

_**Ren: I’ll talk to Sojiro about it tonight then** _

\---

After classes for the day, the trio had spent some time outside Shujin’s gates chit chatting about their upcoming plans for the Featherman stream before heading back to the station and going their separate ways. That’s why, when Ren finally makes it back to Leblanc the sun has already set and the narrow alley is dark. In the back, he can hear Sojiro putting away the last of the day’s dishes, and sitting at the bar was Futaba who had her face in her arms, glasses resting next to her and eyes closed. She could almost pass as being an innocent girl. Almost. When the bell jingles, announcing his presence, Futaba stirs slightly but doesn’t move and Sojiro welcomes him home.

Keeping his voice down so as to not disturb Futaba, Ren discusses the group’s plan to have a Featherman viewing the night of the 24th with Sojiro. The news takes him back and he makes a show of reluctance, but Ren knows that deep down he secretly enjoys having all of his daughter’s friends in one place. Sojiro shrugs and only says that the group just better make sure they clean up after themselves like normal before going back to prepping for tomorrow and finishing up his closing routine. Ren takes that as his queue to leave and makes his way upstairs, greeted by a cheerful Moragana at the top.

He sheds his uniform and switches into sweatpants and t-shirt as he prepares to relax for the rest of the evening. Dinner would obviously be some left-over curry from the day, and he might make himself a cup of coffee while he worked on his weekend homework afterwards. As he rolls onto his side, he decides to check his social media, aimlessly scrolling to see what new posts people have put up, what people back in his hometown were doing, and maybe see some dank memes.He decides to check Akechi’s instagram to see if he posted any new photos.

What Ren is not expecting to see however, is the cutest picture of Morgana staring back at him from Goro Akechi’s Instagram. That was his damn cat, snuggled in Akechi’s arms, faces nearly touching. The absolute audacity. He read the following caption for the image.

**Found myself in Yongen-Jaya today! A small hole-in-the-wall Cafe Leblanc has the best Coffee around,**

**try the Blend! Don’t just take my word for it, just ask my new friend Morgana Nya~*~**

**#Cute#Cats#CuteCats#CoffeeHouseCats**

**#** **Meow#WowIDidntKnowILikedCatsUniltToday**

**#ThisCat LovesMe**

**#IveOnlyKnownMorganaADay #ButIfAnythingHappenedToHim #YouKnowTheRest**

The image next to Morgana’s photo was a simple, yet elegantly taken shot of the coffee he must have ordered while he was here. Why did the Gods forsake him to have to go to school on a Saturday when Goro Akechi just happened to be in his very home that very day. Life is cruel. Ren sits up, ready to peek downstairs to see if Sojiro and Futaba had left yet when he sees something sitting on his desk, it appears to be a note. He stands in front of his desk and looks it over. That’s the third surprise of the day, the third strike to his heart from Goro Akechi, again.As Ren stares down at the paper in his hands, he realizes two things.

One, he had finally gotten Goro Akechi’s autograph.

And two, that photo of Morgana was definitely taken from inside his room.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the lovely feedback on the last chapter! You guys don't know how much it all means to me :') I hope you can all enjoy this next installment. 
> 
> I have some future chapters planned out and will start updating the tags to reflect future updates.

**Found myself in Yongen-Jaya today! A small hole-in-the-wall Cafe Leblanc has the best Coffee around,**

**try the Blend! Don’t just take my word for it, just ask my new friend Morgana Nya~*~**

**#Cute#Cats#CuteCats#CoffeeHouseCats**

**# Meow#WowIDidntKnowILikedCatsUniltToday**

**#ThisCatLovesMe**

**#IveOnlyKnownMorganaADay #ButIfAnythingHappenedToHim #YouKnowTheRest**

  
  


Akechi stares at the post. 

682 Likes already.

It’s only been a goddamn hour.

He is doomed.

He is beyond doomed, he is royally fucked. Maybe he should go back to not liking cats, but that would not solve the problem at hand. Deleting it at this point also would not do anything to solve the issue either seeing as so many people have already seen it, one of them possibly being the cat’s damned owner. The aforementioned problem being that he wanted to post that cute lap photo of Morgana from when he was studying with Makoto, but his undesirable ass accidentally posted the one when he was in Ren’s trash attic. Figures. 

Akechi paces around his living room to the point where he believes he may have started to make permanent indents in the floor. He sighs deeply and finally places his phone on the table in his living room, trying to distance himself from his foolish mistake. It’s nearing dinnertime when he remembers that he had prepped white rice in the fridge some days ago and there was still that frozen udon that Sea had dropped off at his home a few days prior. She said it was her favorite and that she had bought it with him in mind. As if he needed her pity.

_“You live alone, don’t you Akechi? You’re welcome to come by when Makoto makes dinner and join us sometime.”_

Like Hell he would. 

When he checks the rice in the fridge, it seems to be a bit more dried out than he had remembered it being. Even so, he decides to heat it up anyway, while hot water boils on the stove. Akechi removes the udon from the wrapper, not bothering to read the packaging as it was all the same, boil water, boil noodles, eat. It wasn’t that hard. Next to the stove, his microwave dings and he removes the rice then fishes out a clean bowl for his udon. After everything is complete and put together, he brings his meal to the living room to eat in front of his TV. A commercial for the new Phoenix Ranger Featherman Christmas special next week plays on the screen. 

He hates this god awful show, with it’s ridiculous costumes that are far too colorful. Ridiculous plot lines that any toddler could figure out. And not to mention the cheesy one liners. However, in the end childhood nostalgia always wins over and he gives into temptation, watching whatever new episode comes out. Even at the cost of his own sanity. Regardless of the sentiment, he picks up his chopsticks and digs into his udon.

Or not.

SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. SHIT.

Screw Sae Nijima to Hell and back. He only prays that Hell is as hot as this damn udon.

“HHhgggnnnn my stomach...” he whines as he instead switches to a new tactic of trying to scarf as much rice into his mouth to calm the raging inferno of spice swelling in his throat and gut. Even worse idea. The how-ever-many-days old rice crunches repulsively between his teeth and the taste is bland. As he swallows, he swears that it feels like he is ingesting bits of sand and rock instead of rice. Maybe he is overreacting. But maybe his stomach is seriously being consumed by the fires of Hell itself. What asshole decided literal Hellfire should be a flavor. 

Akechi whines loudly again and rolls to lay on his side as Phoenix Ranger Featherman comes back from it’s commercial break. He rests his head on an old throw pillow and curls his legs to fit more comfortably on the couch; his dinner indefinitely postponed. It’s an older episode that he remembers premiering when he was much younger. It was a Saturday evening and he had been so excited to see this episode with his mother, but she had decided that she would go into work that night.

_“But Mama you promised you’d watch it with me!” Akechi remembers stomping his feet and crossing his arms, trying to look as intimidating as possible for a small child,_

_“I’m sorry Goro, but Mama has to work tonight, it’s important. I promise, we’ll watch next week’s together, okay?” She had smiled down at him, picking him up underneath his arms and swinging him into the air. “Will you be a good boy while Mama’s working?” She’d given him kisses all over his face like always when she would break her promises. And despite it all, he just wanted her to be there, even when he knew she’d break her promise again, he always agreed to what she said, because he still loved her._

_“I will!”_

_His mother had placed him back down and he’d never forget how tightly she held him that day. Had he known it would be the last, he would never have let go of her. Above all, he wished that he could have seen the look of terror in her eyes as she had to go to work that night, the fake smile as she pulled out her wallet, handing him a few hundred yen, telling him that she would pick him up from the bathhouse soon. Hindsight is 20/20, and whenever he thinks back to that night, he realises that she must have known in her heart that it was a very real possibility she wouldn’t be coming back home._

_“I’ll see you soon, my little Ally of Justice!” Every day those very words would haunt him. He isn’t an ally of justice, he could never be. Because when it came down to it, he wasn’t able to protect her. They wouldn’t get the chance to watch next week’s Featherman together like she promised they would. And it was all his fault._

_Goro Akechi learned that the state of the world was not just that day. Unsympathetic even to a poor, hapless child._

And suddenly, it feels as if his heart is being crushed and set ablaze simultaneously. 

Desperately, he tries to forget and push the thought back to the deepest recesses of his mind. He refuses to dwell on that night another moment, another instant. Yet, despite it all, he still feels the sting of tears welling behind his eyes as his very being fills with an unyielding wave of desolation threatening to break though like a dam. And when it does, ugly tears break though and he spends the second night in a row crying and damning every happy, cheerful, and untroubled soul in the universe. 

He is the reason she is gone. It is his fault, and the wave he felt before crashes into his heart again and again until he’s drowning. She never came for him that night, and he knew it was because he was the cursed child she had never wanted to begin with. Fake smiles, fake love, fake kindness, he refuses to be fooled again by it. Akechi grips the pillow under his head and screams as loud as he can, and just as the night before, his neighbor pounds on the wall as if in defiance. 

Life is cruel and unyielding, and no amount of cute cat photos will ever change that. Akechi spends another night wearing the same day’s clothes, another day skipping his routine shower and bath, another day depriving himself of a freshly cooked meal. His eyes are heavy, but his chest is now lighter as the ending theme to Phoenix Ranger Featherman comes to an end. Sleep threatens to overcome him, and he wishes to fall victim to its sweet embrace. He takes a deep breath and is surprised to feel he’s able to once again.

On the table beside his abandoned meal, he notices the phone he has been trying desperately to ignore since his blunder. In that moment, Akechi decides that it will be for the best to actually just delete the photo altogether and erase the proof that he had even gone to Leblanc to begin with. As he opens the app, he sees that he’s been tagged and mentioned in a whole array of stories and posts as his fans usually do. One catches his eye and he can’t believe it’s the current bane of his existence, Ren Amamiya. Akechi is tagged in his story, and he’s not quite sure what leads him to check it out, but he does.

The first photo is of Ren and what must be his friend from school. The photo is taken from his phone and is of what appears to be Ren and his friend fighting over some sort of bun. Ren’s hand is pressed against the other’s face while his friend appears to be trying to bite said hand. 

**All is fair in Love and Food for these fools <3 **

Akechi chuckles at how absurd the photo is and watches as the second one appears. This photo is taken from below, looking up, and appears to be taken from his desk. It appears to be in the middle of when classes were in session, and a classmate with blonde pigtails is winking behind him Ren who is finger gunning and winking at the camera as well. Akechi cannot help but think the smirk Ren is giving the camera is anything but the single most smoldering and infuriating gesture he has ever seen on another man. 

**Hotties here to steal your heart </3**

He checks the next photo and it is another picture of Morgana, this time he is sleeping on Leblanc’s bar, tail wrapped around him and eyes closed peaceful. Simple, sweet, and adorable. It almost melts the icyest depths of his heart. 

**Bestie Goro Akechi stopped by to show some love ~Nya!~**

**Much fun! Come see me again! So sleepy...**

There is one final photo, and Akechi checks that one. It is of a single cup of coffee and a steaming plate of what appears to be curry.

**Goro Akechi got his Catfine but now he needs to try**

**Morgana Catsu Curry ~Nya~**

Ren Amamiya is a cheeky bastard if he’s ever seen one before. Using his cat for cheap tricks. He landed a critical hit on him today, and if he was going to be playing dirty, then he might as well entertain him and play back as well. What else did he have to do anyway other than to loath in his own self pity? Ren in a Fan Boy after all, at least this could potentially boost his ego for a while and delay the inevitable wave of loathing that would eventually hit again. It’s reckless, but at that moment, he doesn’t care.

  
  


**_[Direct Message with CafeLaJoker]_ **

**_Detective_ _Prince: I hope Morgana left some for me Nya ~_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: [...typing...]_ **

* * *

Ren slams his hand over his mouth to keep from screaming.

Spoiler alert, it does not help.

Footsteps come running up the stairs and in an instant Ren is face to face with Sojiro and Futaba, the latter covering her mouth and failing miserably to hide the smirk on her face. Sojiro looks horrified, but Futaba is quick to calm him before looking to Ren “Finally find Akechi’s little gift to you?” she asks.

“You knew?” Ren says as he nearly drops the autograph in a panic.

“At first, no. But when I heard him go into your room I just had to see what was up. And so I snuck into your room before you got back I saw it sitting on your desk.” She replies, that girl is the devil incarnate Ren swears. Futaba liked to push all his buttons just for the sake of if, but despite it all, she is basically his little sister in the end and he cares about her deeply, even if she’s evil.

“And, you didn’t tell me?”

“Duh, I hate spoilers. It was much more rewarding to see the shocked look on your face. Why else would I be waiting at Leblanc?” She has a point there, she hardly ever leaves the house if it doesn’t directly benefit her.

Ren rolls his eyes and places the autograph back onto his desk, pouting at her and Sojiro. “I thought you just wanted to be a good friend for once, glad to see I was wrong and you’re still the worst person ever though, thank you.” This causes both Sojiro and Futaba to laugh at his expense, and they all begin to laugh together. After a few minutes of back and forth chattering, mostly Sojiro trying to answer every question Ren threw at him about what happened when Goro Akechi showed up, what did he order, how long did he stay, it was time for the Sakura family to head home.

Futaba gives him a thumbs up and grabs Sojiro’s arm “Let’s go and leave Ren to his thirsty Akechi thoughts.” Ren attempts to protest her remark, but both parties are already down the stairs and the bell above Leblanc’s door rings, signaling their retreat. He really needs to find all of Futaba’s bugs and destroy each one personally

From his desk, Ren can see the slip of paper again and he goes over his thoughts on the matter once more. This was in fact, Goro Akechi’s signature. Goro Akechi had come to Leblanc and even mentioned it in his Instagram. Goro Akechi himself was in his room, playing with his cat. It was his fan boy dream come true and he missed every moment of it. 

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

As he laments and attempts to not pull every single one of his hairs from his scalp, his stomach growls loudly. That’s right, he had been waiting for Futaba and Sojiro to leave before he made dinner. Free food is good food after all, and Ren decides to check for leftover ingredients to whip up some of Sojiro’s famous curry. He removes the necessary ingredients from the fridge and pantry as Morgana helps himself to the empty bar and makes himself comfortable smack in the middle of it.

The curry starts to bubble in the pot, and as he sets it to simmer, Ren decies to switch the TV on and surf through the channels. Eventually, he settles on an old re-run of Featherman. This one he doesn’t quite remember and takes a seat next to Morgana as the episode plays in the background. Absently, he listens to the cheesy one liners and laughs from time to time as he scrolls though Instagram again, going back to the photo of Morgana from earlier. What if….

If Goro Akechi could post photos of his cat, Ren held the advantage to post even cuter photos. He gets into position next to Morgana. He moves left, then it's a little bit to the right. Now, just a little bit lower. One last show from above.The whole ordeal takes nearly ten minutes and he finally has the cutest sleeping photo of his dear Mona, his small tongue sticking out, eyes closed, and peaceful. In the time before his curry finishes, he prepares a cup of Sojiro’s less expensive blend to enjoy on the side. And with that done, he takes a photo of both the curry and coffee as well as an added bonus.

**Bestie Goro Akechi stopped by to show some <3 ~Nya!~**

**Much fun! Come see me again!**

  
  


**Goro Akechi got his Catfine but now he needs to try**

**Morgana Catsu Curry ~Nya~**

He adds both photos to his story and is sure to tag Goro Akechi’s Instagram, praying that he sees it before they expire. When Ren looks back up to the TV, Featherman is now ending, and he hums along to the theme as he eats his dinner. He takes a sip of his coffee and nearly spits all of it out when a direct message comes through his phone. 

  
  


**_[Direct message with Detective Prince]_ **

**_Detective_ _Prince: I hope you left some for me Morgana Nya ~_ **

Ren starts typing. Then stops. Types again and delete, because there's no way that he is currently getting a direct message from the most beautiful man to have ever grace the Earth. He tries to pull himself together and respond.

**_CafeLaJoker: Of course Nya~_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Morgana Catsu Curry made with lots of my Meowy Love!_ **

**_DetectiveP_ _rince: Is that so? As both a detective and lover of food, I think I may have to investigate this matter further if that is okay with you._ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Yes, of course! My best friend is always welcome_ **

**_Detective_ _Prince: Isn’t that very sweet of you, Amamiya_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Oh no, my cover was blown. What gave me away?_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: I was practicing my mastery of Nyas and Mews just to impress you Detetive_ **

**_Detective_ _Prince: The conclusive evidence in this case would be that Mona does not have thumbs_ **

**_Detective_ _Prince: It seems I caught you red handed. How do you plead?_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Guilty your honor. I accept any and all punishment._ **

**_Detective_ _Prince: You shall be sentenced to serving Goro Akechi a plate of Morgana Catsu Curry._ **

  
  


He wonders if he should screen shot it and send it to the group chat, but he refrains from doing so. They would just assume a troll account messaged him instead most likely. But this hasd to be the real deal, he checked everything he could think to check to make sure that he was really talking with Goro Akechi.

**_CafeLaJoker: I shall do so, your honor. When shall I be expecting him to grace this establishment with his presence?_ **

**_Detective_ _Prince: 10am sharp. You better not leave a starving boy hungry first thing in the morning ;)_ **

A wink. Ren is going to melt into a puddle and Sojiro would have to mop up his remains in the morning. He needed to get to bed soon if he intended to wake up early enough to prepare the absolute best curry he has ever made.

**_CafeLaJoker: It would be a pleasure, your honor._ **

**_DetetivePrince: I look forward to it, Amamiya. Sweet dreams._ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Thank you, good night, Akechi._ **

Ren looks down at the last message. Akechi, he really called him just Akechi. Surely this was just a celebrity indulging one of his fans right? He was sure this sort of thing must be usual for him. Then, he remembered Futaba’s taunt from the previous night and he mutters it to himself “He was totes checking you out….” Oh. There was no way he was though, right?

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who keeps reading and thank you again to my Beta who is still putting up with me for some reason. I love you all <3


	4. Chapter FOur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akechi stops by for some Leblanc curry and some quality time with Ren...but things don't always go as planned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for making it this far! 
> 
> Slight update to the story summary
> 
> and again, I would like to thank my Beta for looking over this for me <3
> 
> I hope you all enjoy and thank you for all the kind words last chapter.

_**-** _

_**8:27am** _

_**Ryuji: Yooo man. I managed to snag that copy of the Retro Fetherman game in Akiba last night** _

_**Ryuji: Down to play today?** _

_**8:39** _

_**Ryuji: Duuuuude** _

_**Ryuji: C’mon I’m so HYPE** _

_**8:47** _

_**Ryuji: RENREN!!!** _

_**8:59** _

_**Ryuji: this is like, the highlight of my LIFE man, we gotta play it** _

_**9:08** _

_**Ryuji: Dude you can’t seriously be sleeping still** _

_**Ryuji: Imma just head over, see you soon** _

_**-** _

_**8:45am** _

_**Yusuke: I finished the Red Hawk and Black Condor commission you requested. I shall stop by Leblanc to give it to you in person. I hope that I was able to capture their gallant essence.** _

_**-** _

  
  


That morning, Ren’s alarm went off precisely at 6am and he was in Leblanc’s bathroom brushing his teeth and doing his hair by 6:01am. He has less than four hours before Akechi will be arriving and he has to make sure that Leblanc is immaculate. First, he starts by cleaning the bathroom, then every booth and chair, behind the counter, and makes sure that every book and magazine is organized to the T. Then, he looks through the fridge to see that everything is there in order to cook the curry and have it ready just before the shop will open. Ren does not even so much look at his phone as he breezes through the small shop making sure that everything is perfect.

It isn’t until Sojiro opens the door and says something to him that he finally pauses in his actions “Oh, Morning Boss.” He says.

“Morning to you too, kid. Trying to earn some extra allowance or something?” He replies as he joins Ren in the kitchen.

“Not quite, just thought I’d help open up today, and possibly get started on the curry before we opened.” It’s then that Sojiro gives him a strange look as Ren has never once offered to prepare curry before opening unless he was trying to get on his good side. “Just thought It’d be a nice change of pace. And speaking of a change of pace, I hope you don’t mind but I tweaked the curry just a little. Not all of it though! Just a sample, the rest is how you taught me.” Ren rambles, talking quickly and nervously, but Sojiro shrugs, and tells him to go for it and decides to take the morning easy and watch the news as Ren prepares curry in his stead. 

“Long as you don’t go changing my whole recipe, it’s fine by me. I trust your judgement kid.” He replies. 

When his preparations are completed, Ren glances at the clock hanging on the wall, 9:59am. He comes around the bar and peeks through the window to see that Akechi is in fact, already waiting outside for him as promised. Akechi is looking down at his phone, scrolling, and each passing second Ren feels his pulse increase. Ren takes a deep breath, composes himself, and unlocks the door. As he does, Akechi turns to him, and God, he’s more beautiful in person and Ren hopes that he cannot tell how star-struck he is in that moment.

A few seconds pass and Ren realises that he has nothing planned to say when he comes face to face with Akechi. He tries to think hard, it has to be good. It has to be composed. This would be their first time actually having a real conversation and first impressions matter the most. Whatever he would say in this moment could either make or break his entire relationship.

“Good Morning, Akechi. It’s nice to finally Mee-ow-t you, Nya.” Of all the things he could have said, he wants to bash his face into the pot of curry currently simmer on the stove and never look Akechi in the eyes again. 

Akechi brings his hand to his mouth and laughs, covering his face as he does. “Nice to see you again as well, Amamiya.” Ren moves to the side, appalled that Akechi did not decide to turn tail and run. They both make their way into the shop, Ren leading Akechi to the last booth in the corner as to be as far out of the way if any customers were to come in. The shop is quiet, peaceful as only the three of them and Morgana occupy the building. “Thank you for having me over on such short notice.” Unable to make anything more than an unintelligible grunt, Ren nods back at Akechi who has started to remove his laptop from it’s casing and place several notebooks in front of him as well. He watches as Akechi suddenly yawns, rubbing his eyes.

A steaming plate of curry with rice is placed in front of Akechi a moment later “Would you like some coffee to go with it?” Ren asks. 

“That would be wonderful, thank you,” Akechi replies, already taking out his phone to take a photo. “Did Morgana help you prepare this as well?”

“He has no thumbs, remember?” Ren stands behind the bar, hands shaking as he attempts to pour the hot water over Akechi’s coffee and Sojiro watches them both from the corner of his eye. When the coffee is ready, he walks it back over to Akechi and places it in front of him, standing to the side again. He looks him over, his normally perfectly brushed hair is now slightly frizzy, and he looks as if he could fall asleep any second. Overall, he looks very put together, however Ren briefly wonders if the other has been getting enough sleep lately.

Akechi takes a long sip of the coffee, humming as he does so “Your coffee skills are quite excellent. I may have to request another cup.” He places it down and picks up his spoon, trying the curry this time. As the taste hits his tongue, Ren sees Akechi’s face light up and he’s silent for a moment as he takes another bite. “Amamiya, your cooking might just rival your coffee. I’m very impressed.”

He likes it, Goro Akechi is sitting in front of him, eating his curry, drinking his coffee, all personally made for Goro Akechi. Ren takes a deep breath again before he is able to reply “I’m glad you enjoy it. I modified Boss’s recipe slightly, the curry we sell is usually more spicy. But, you don’t like spicy food very much, right?”

“Reading up on my fan site now, are you? Or do you just analyse every blog post that intently to figure out my likes and dislikes?” Akechi places his spoon down, moving slightly closer to the wall and patting the empty space next to him. Oh.

“Well actually,” Ren replies as he takes a seat next to him. He pushes his glasses farther up his nose and grins at him “I’m actually the founder of your fan site. And you, Goro Akechi, have fallen right into my trap. Secretly I invited you here to get a one-on-one interview in exchange for my fabulous cooking.” 

Akechi grins at him, turning his body to face him as he places an elbow on the table “is that so? Sorry to crush your dreams, Mr Fanboy, but I must regretfully decline as I am very busy finishing up my presentation for class tomorrow.” 

Feigning grief, Ren places his hand over his heart and dramatically sighs “ My chances ruined before they could even begin. How about I get you another cup of coffee while you work at least?” He asks, eyeing the half full cup that he still seems to be nurturing, to which Akechi nods in agreement. Both chat back and forth for a few minutes while Akechi finishes his coffee and Ren gets up to get him another cup. 

The hot water is ready and Ren focuses better this time, less nervous now as he pours the water over the grounds again. As he does so, he glances towards Akechi who takes another bite of the curry, a look of content seems to spread across his face, and Ren wonders what the other is currently thinking. The soft hum of the TV behind him playing the news is the only sound in the small shop, peaceful, and the atmosphere feels calm on the brisk Sunday morning. When he finishes brewing Akechi’s coffee he brings it back to him, noticing that he has already finished the curry in somewhat of a hurry. 

Akechi is all and nothing what Ren had been expecting to meet some day. Sure, he is very charming in person, but the way he carries himself, the way he stares at his notes and bounces the tip of his pen against his lip as he thinks, Ren can’t help how mundane he looks in those brief moments. And in that moment, that’s exactly what made Ren feel so intrigued in him. Of course he knew that Akechi was a normal person who had to sleep, eat, and study for class as well, but watching him, Ren can’t help but feel he is being graced with a rare sight, the human and unfiltered Goro Akechi, who was just at his core, a regular college student just trying to get by. As he sets down the cup and takes the empty seat next to Akechi again, both lock eyes for a moment, and Ren feels as if Akechi is staring and analyzing every bit of him.

Then, just like that, the moment is gone as the door to Leblanc chimes, altering them to a new presence. Or, to Ren’s horror, two of his best friends enter when he just had to be sharing a very intimate moment with Akechi.

Both Ryuji and Yusuke enter the cafe and notice Ren sitting in the back as they make their way over “RenRen! You need to answer your phone, yo.” Ryuji flips a seat at the bar to face the booth and sits beside them as Yusuke leans against the empty booth across from Ren and Akechi, eyes on the two, but silent. Ryuji does not seem bothered by the fact that Goro Akechi seems to be sitting next to him, however Ren doubts highly that he took the time to remember what Akechi even looks like. Ren apologies, explaining that he hadn’t checked his phone since he woke up.

Then, there is an awkward silence that befalls them all, as if none of them knew what to say in the presence of the people that they had never seen before. Ryuji and Yusuke stare at Akechi for a moment who, inturn, stares back at them. The few seconds that linger between the group seem long and awkward until it is Akechi that speaks up first, his eyes looking at Yusuke then down to what he is holding at his side “ Is that Red Hawk and Black Condor?” He asks, eyes lingering on the 11 by 12 laminated photo in his hands. This seems to catch Yusuke off guard and Ren feels every bit of blood drain from his body as he plans to murder one of his best friends. 

“Oh! That’s correct.” He extends the photo towards Ren, both characters in a rather suggestive pose, and Ren nearly faints on the spot. His face heats up and he thinks of every possible item he could use to end Yusuke’s existence within a five foot radius. “Ren, I brought your commission. I hope it is to your liking.” Ren catches Akechi glancing at the photo barred for all to see, Red straddling Black’s waist, pushing the other backwards onto the bed while Black has his hand south of Red’s belt.

“Your skills are quite remarkable,” Akechi states as he moves closer to Ren, his left shoulder pressed against his right side as his eyes look over the single worst mistake Ren has ever made. The soft-core porn that he had requested Yusuke Kitagawa to create for him. And, as if to make him feel any worse, he feels the weight of Akechi placing his hand on his thigh as he leans down to take a better look. Ren has to remind himself to breathe as the sensation sends sparks though his body. “I take it that you’re a fan of Phoenix Ranger Featherman then, Amamiya? I like to indulge in it as well, Black and Red are my favorites too of course.” 

Ren sees his life flash before his eyes, because he must be dead, right? Because there's no way that his idol had just said something so outlandish as not only liking Featherman, but also shipping Black and Red together. Ren fears turning his head even slightly being that the top of Akechi’s is pressed against his cheek and his chin is resting against his chest. The thought of accidentally coming any closer to the other sends a shiver down his spine. All eyes are on him, including Sojiro who seems to be giving the group glaces from time to time, probably waiting to tell him to quiet down and take their nonsense up to his room. Then, it’s Ryuji who talks next, as if his life couldn’t get any worse.

“Oh, holy shit you’re that Akechi guy, right? Ren’s totally a huge fan of yours by the way!” Press F to pay respect because Ren Amamiya swears that he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It calls him forth to his next life where he prays that there isn’t anyone foolhardy enough to end him with only their words yet again. Let it be known to all that Ren Amamiya would like to let the world know he was indeed the first man to die of total and utter embarrassment. “I totally got this old Featherman game I wanted RenRen to check out, wanna come play with us since you’re here and all?”

No. Goro Akechi would not be invited back into his room for the second time in two days. It was a hard pass, he absolutely refused. Ren is certain that his heart could not stand another moment of the intensity of his two friends and his celebrity crush being together another moment. However, fate would have different plans for him as Morgana took the opportunity to make himself known and join the four at the time, jumping into the little space Akechi had left between him and Ren. 

“As long as Morgana is invited too, I’ll be sure to join you once I finish my project. If that’s okay of course,” Akechi moves his head back somewhat so as to be able to look towards Ren, now gently rubbing circles into his thigh under the table with his fingers. Ren steadies his breath and nods, unable to form coherent speech. Ryuji and Yusuke seem none the wiser to Akechi's movements as his fingers gently start caressing the inside of his thigh. “ Why don’t you and your friends go play? I’ll join you soon.” 

Ryuji grabs Ren’s arm, pulling him from the booth and Akechi nearly falls over from the sudden movement. “C’mon dude! I’ve been waiting since last night for this,” he complains as he pulls Ren up the stairs. Yusuke follows closely behind, bidding Akechi farewell as he passes. From the stairs, the last thing Ren sees is Morgana stretching out in the empty space he had been and Akechi staring up at him before seeming to concentrate on his project once more. Of all the days his friends could have stopped by to visit him, it had to be today, didn’t it.

What the Hell did he do to piss off the Gods this much.

* * *

When Ren and his friends are no longer in sight, Akechi feels himself sighing deeply. That had been a tiring front to endure and Ren’s friends also had to make an appearance just to make it even more challenging. It had been his plan coming in that he would use Ren’s fanboy nature to his advantage to boost his own self-worth, but when his friends had shown up unexpectedly it had thrown a whole goddamned wrench into his plan. Though, he was able to save it at the end it seemed and had the added bonus of seeing how flustered his act had made his target in front of those two idiots.

The nervous and shaky hands when Ren prepared his coffee, how he seemed to tense when Akechi had offered the seat next to him, and even when he heard the rapid pounding of Ren’s heart as he leaned against his chest, they had all gone perfect. He had even snooped through the bastard’s Instagram trying to learn as much about him as possible before their meeting. During his investigation, he had deduced that Ren was 18, often frequented Shinjuku and had even held several part time jobs in the area, and that he often visited cafes and ramen shops with his friends.

He reaches for his notebook and begins reading over his notes from class. Boring. Upstairs, he can hear the murmured voices of Ren and his friends and he frowns. It wasn’t as if he wanted to go and see what they were up to. But it was the fact he had come with a plan to get into Ren’s head, and he wanted to see how far he could push the other. His friends had to come and mess up everything. 

Akechi squeezes his pencil so hard he can feel it tense against his hand until it almost breaks. The sound of the chair from earlier being slid back to the bar brings Akechi’s attention up where Sojiro is standing. He reaches down to take the empty plate from in front of Akechi as well as the now empty cup of coffee, offering another re-fill to which Akechi agrees to. When Sojiro places the cup back in front of Akechi he speaks to him for the first time that day “You know, you could always go up and join them. I'm sure you’ve spent enough time doing this yesterday with Niijima. It could be a good idea to take a break.”

Laughing, Akechi is quick to dismiss the idea “Oh, I have to finish this project that’s due tomorrow.” Sojiro shrugs and leaves him be, greeting another customer as they walk into the shop and Akechi goes back to reading his notes. He flips a page, boring. He flips another page, more shit that he doesn’t give a shit about and probably wouldn't work with his project. One more page, and he can’t focus as he feels Morgana rub his cute little face against his leg. Sojiro’s words from earlier nag at him, ringing against his skull as he tries to read over his notes.

Finally, he sighs as he tries to read another page and he can’t help but feel overwhelmingly annoyed at the world around him. Between Sojiro’s insufferable advice, the soft laughs coming from upstairs from Ren and company, and then Moragana who had now decided that his lap would make the best napping spot, he was most definitely not going to be able to study. Akechi checks the time, now reading half past twelve. How did it get to be this late? Had he really been sitting here that long? Carefully as to not disturb the sleeping beauty in his lap, Akechi begins to pack away his materials, and when he’s finished, gently scoops Morgana into his arms and stands.

Akechi contemplates his next move, staring at the stairs leading up to the attic. He readies himself and puts his foot forward, then the next, followed by the first again, until he’s halfway up the stairs. At that moment, he’s not sure what his plan is or what his next course of action will be. And he is scared as Hell as he enters the attic and three pairs of eyes look up as he does so. The blonde boy from before waves him in, calling his name, and telling him to come over, that they’d been waiting for him to join.

Suddenly, his heart fills with an unfamiliar pain, it’s nothing like the pain he felt when he would lay on his couch, lonely and crying into his throw. It’s nothing like the pain he felt when he would sit in his bath at night, not knowing what are tears and what are the droplets of water dripping from his hair. And it is definitely nothing like the pain he felt when he would come home to an empty, dark apartment with no sign of life. His breath is caught in his throat and his heart races when he looks directly at Ren who is sitting on the ground, patting the spot next to him, beckoning Akechi forward as he had earlier.

He feels sick, but it’s not unwanted, just unfamiliar. His stomach feels as if it’s flipped upside down as he sits beside Ren with his pet squirming and settling between his legs. “By the way,” Ren says, his face is calm, gentle, and smiling and he points to the two other boys in the room “this is Ryuji and Yusuke.” Both boys wave before turning back and settling their gaze back to the game. As he brings his arm down, Ren’s hand lands on Akechi’s knee. The hand is stiff,, and Akecni places his hand softly over Ren’s, the other seeming to relax. Ryuji seems to focus and moderately yell at the game while Yusuke watches beside him, both too preoccupied to notice them.

There is a very soft, hesitant movement from Ren’s hand and Akechi removes his own to see what he does. Ren’s fingers move in small circles around his knee and Akechi dares to look the other in the eye, which in turn he doesn’t know if he truly regrets. Behind those large glasses, Ren’s eyes stare into his own again, locking, and never moving and Akechi doesn’t have the courage to look away. 

Transfixed.

Hypnotized.

Bewitched.

The spell is broken by a particularly loud cuss from Ryuji and Akechi quickly scoots away from Ren, putting a few inches between them. He doesn’t look at Ren, afraid to look back into those eyes and instead occupies himself with the old TV and retro gaming system Ryuji had been screaming at. Beside him, Akechi doesn’t feel Ren move again. His heart calms and he strokes Morgana, hand shaking as he does so despite how he wills himself not to show any sign of his nerves. Ren’s voice is low, almost inaudible as he whispers an apology, but Akechi shakes his head. What an idiot. What did he have to apologies for anyway?

“Amamiya,” His voice quivers, and he’s not sure why “when you have some free time, I would like to see you again.” The words come before Akechi has a chance to stop himself, and he’s not quite sure why he says it. He finally looks towards Ren, and he’s surprised when he is unable to read the look on his face. 

Ren’s expression is lax and there is a slight upwards tug to his lips. His gaze is no longer as powerful, not freezing every muscle in his body as it had earlier, and instead those same eyes are now soft, tender. He opens his mouth to reply “I would lo-...”

“SonOfABitch” Ryuji’s exclamation startles Morgana, who previously was sleeping in Akechi’s lap, now panics and violently vaults forward, first pressing his legs aggressively against his crotch before rocking across the room to hide under Ren’s bed. Yusuke gently scolds Ryuji’s outburst, reminding him that Leblanc did currently have customers, the latter sheepishly apologizing before going back to playing and chatting with Yusuke. 

Akechi grunts and closes his eyes and attempts to regain his composure. He breathes through his nose, then out through his mouth as Ren moves closer, “Are you okay? I’m so sorry, Akechi.” His hand reaches out and gently grasps his shoulder.

“Yes, yes. I’m okay,” He laughs as the pain begins to subside. Feeling the atmosphere between them vanish from earlier. “What I was saying before, you don’t have to-..”

“I want to see you again, Akechi.” Ren cuts him off, and it catches him off guard “I’d love to see you again, if you have the time that is.” Ren closes the gap between them again and Akechi leans against him as he had when they were both down in the shop earlier. He lets himself indulge in the sweet smell of Ren’s cologne and the way Ren wraps his arm around his waist, he’ll never admit, not even to himself, how safe he felt in that moment. Akechi feels his eyes grow heavy, just as they do every night, but this time he doesn’t feel the crushing pain in his heart as he always had. This is safe. This is warm, and he refused to tell anyone that he wanted this. Because he knew as soon as he admitted, be it Ren or even himself, reality would come crashing down as if this had been a cruel dream.

He didn’t need anyone. He didn’t need to rely on anyone's pity. He was only doing this because he liked the needy way Ren had reacted when he wanted his autograph back at the station. He was doing this because he had found humor in the little stunt he pulled on Instagram the evening before. He was doing this because he wanted to see how much he could make this worthless fan beg for his attention. There was absolutely nothing more than that.

Ryuji’s voice yelling at the Featherman game he was playing slowly fades into the distance and is replaced by Ren’s warmth. All around him, the sounds, the smells, begin to drift away and all he can feel is a second arm pulling him closer then he vaguely feels himself being led away and onto what he assumes is Ren’s bed. Without another thought, he finally feels at peace. Maybe he hadn’t gotten enough sleep last night after all, having spent more the evening crying, working on case files, crying again, and wallowing in self-hate.

Maybe running on only four hours of sleep and three cups of coffee would make just about anyone fall asleep in a near stranger’s bedroom surrounded by his friends. But, what did he care about rationality in the end? He’s tired, and on this brisk Sunday afternoon, he can’t help but feel warmth radiating from all around him as he drifts away, content, for the first time in a long while. Akechi is only slightly aware of the feeling of his coat and scarf being removed from his person, followed then by his boots. He can sense Ren's body sitting next to him on the bed, a pillow being placed against the side of his face and a heavy futon settles around him. 


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was not yet Beta read, please forgive my awful excuse for writing tyvm 
> 
> //sweats
> 
> I hope you're all able to enjoy this one !

By the time Akechi wakes up, the room is silent and dark. He sits up and the first thing he notices is the fact that he is not in his bed. In a panic, he tries to understand his current situation. Where is this? Where is he? What’s going on? Akechi stands from the bed and the next thing he notices is that his shoes are missing and he walks around the dark room, looking for a light. As his mind begins to catch up with him, he realises that he had fallen asleep in Leblanc’s attic, that shithead's room. He nears the stairs where there is a soft glow from downstairs and voices from the shop can be heard.

“You know you got finals tomorrow, right?” Oh, that voice sounds like Sojiro. 

“I know, I spent all week studying.” The smooth, deep sounding voice must be Ren.

“I’m going to head out for the night then, you two don’t stay up too late.” Is Sojiro talking about him? How late is it? The two chat for almost another minute before the bell can be heard signalling Sojiro’s retreat, and he assume’s that he’s now alone with Ren. Akechi hears only one set of footsteps walking around downstairs and he decides to make himself known. As he reaches the last step, he looks around and notices Ren standing in Leblanc’s small kitchen, cooking.

Akechi stops at the edge of the bar, separating himself from the kitchen and the rest of the shop. Ren seems to hear him approach and he turns to look at him “Good evening, Sleeping Beauty,” what and asshole.

“Ah, sorry for falling asleep earlier. I must not have realised how tired I was” Akechi replies. He'll play along with Ren's charade. Seriously though, who calls someone that? As Akechi looks the other over, he takes notes on Ren. He seems nice, but it was most certainly fake, no one just feeds a stranger and lets them fall asleep in their bed. And the stunt Akechi had pulled on him earlier? Touching him, sizing him up, Ren was most certainly here just to fuck around, wasn't he? It's what most boys seemed to be after anyway, and with how much of a fanboy this scum was, Akechi wouldn't put it past him. But for now, he doesn't mind entertaining Ren, seeing how far the other was willing to go to please him.

He just wanted someone to notice him. His heart could take it, whatever Ren would throw at him. Praise, affection, then the eventual betrayal. No one ever stayed long enough around him to make any significant difference to his life. And it's not like he ever did the same for anyone else either. No one wants a cursed child who's best quality was seething rage and a self deprecating personality.

“That’s fine, Ryuji and Yusuke conned me into playing Featherman with them after you fell asleep. Though, Ryuji demands that he needs you to test it out next.” Ren laughs as he turns back around and he’s cutting bits of tofu. “I’m making dinner, do you care to join me, Detective?” 

Akechi hesitates. He already imposed this morning, stayed far longer than he meant working on his project and didn’t even pay Sojiro for the curry or coffee, fell asleep in Ren’s house, and now he was being offered dinner. “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly impose anymore than I already have, but thank you, Amamiya.” He watches as Ren begins to stir in the tofu from before and mixes in some seaweed, potatoes and onions. 

“It’s really not much, just some leftover rice from today, miso, and some mackerel. You’re not imposing, you’re a guest.” Akechi scans the area Ren is working in, beside him are two plates, both already lined with rice and fish, and two small empty bowls that must have been for the miso. So, he had already been planning to make him dinner before he even woke up. Akechi doesn’t respond back, instead he takes a seat and places his chin in his hand as he watches Ren cook.

Ren’s stirring the pot slowly, glasses off now and Akechi can only assume it was because the steam from the miso had kept fogging them up. His eyes scan the other from top to bottom, starting with Ren’s fashionably frizzy hair, looking at his rolled up sleeves, then down to see that he was still wearing his own shoes inside the shop. The quiet is comfortable, neither of them talking but keeping each other company, and when the miso is ready, Ren pours it into the bowls and serves them both. As he places his own food down, Ren is careful to take the seat to Akechi’s right. Probably didn't want to be bumping elbows the entire time, Akechi makes a mental note to applaud his observation skills. 

“You didn’t have to do this, you know.”Akechi stares down at the food before him, steam wafting from the soup, freshly cooked fish, and he can feel that pain he felt earlier in Ren’s room returning, the twisting feeling in his gut and a flutter in his stomach. He doesn’t understand why it’s here, why his stomach feels nauseous before he’s even taken a single bite. Ren shrugs, stating that it would have been rude otherwise. Akechi stirs his spoon around his miso and laughs “It’s not every day I see someone add potatoes to their miso.”

Ren laughs as well and the action sets Akechi’s heart on fire, because the deep sound of Ren’s voice ricochet inside his brain and the sly grin on his face burns a memory into his mind “It’s how my mom used to make it back home, I guess I just got used to it. No one in Tokyo seems to make it this way though.” 

“If you don’t mind my asking, why did you come to Tokyo? Surely you couldn’t have been trying to stalk me that hard?” Akechi takes a bite of the mackerel, and it’s amazing. He finds himself starting to eat the food a bit too quickly just as he had the curry from earlier. It wasn’t his fault he was a God Awful cook who only relied on frozen and pre packaged meals damnit. 

The question seems to make Ren tense, then sigh as he stares down at his plate “I got arrested for assault just before the beginning of second year. My old school expelled me, and Sojiro helped me get into my current school when no where else would accept me.”

“I know it may not be my place to say, however, I don’t see you as the type to assault someone, Amamiya.” And it’s the truth. Ren seems like a very collected person, and even online during their brief chat, he was funny, charming, and quick witted. Of course Akechi couldn't figure him all out by a few simple words, a single meeting together, but he did want to find out more about him. Maybe see him again some time and see what makes Ren Amamiya tick. 

“It’s really a long story, maybe we shouldn’t get into it tonight.” 

Oh, he seems tense now and trying to change the subject. However, this gave Akechi an idea “Then perhaps you would like to get together some other time and we can chat again?” This is dangerous, this is getting too close to someone that could hurt him later, but Akechi knew what he was doing. And what he was doing was inviting the other to stroke his ego more, seeing as how his previous attempt failed thanks to those fools from earlier. Akechi keeps his head down, looking at the dinner prepared for him and takes another few bites of the fish and rice.

“Do you have time tomorrow?” Tomorrow...that was the day of his presentation, and he told Sea Nijiima that he wouldn’t even be able to make it to the courthouse in time for the trial after classes due to his presentation with Makoto. It’s not like he could impose on the small shop again. What would they never do tomorrow? As the thoughts play over in his read, Ren speaks up again “ ..but if you’re busy that’s okay.” 

No, he wasn’t busy. Or at least, he’ll make sure to make time for this infuriating boy “I’m not busy. Tell me, do you happen to like jazz? I know a very pleasant place in Kichijoji, they even allow minors.” It could work he thinks, the club was open rather late and they could stop by when he was finished with his other duties for the day.

Then, the cheeky bastard has the audacity to grin, those damn eyes locking onto him the moment Akechi glances over at him “Are you asking me on a date?” Cue, that weird feeling from earlier yet again. What the fuck. His breath catches in his lungs as he feels Ren places his hand on his leg “ What time should I meet you?” The action is intimate and AKechi wonders where Ren is trying to lead this.

Akechi places his hand over Ren’s and locks their fingers together, following suit, “be there by 7:45, there is a singer performing at 8 and I rather enjoy her work. If you’re late, I won’t let you walk me to the station after.” If Ren wanted to be cheeky, he would be cheeky right back. “Unless, you wanted me to wander around the dangerous streets, alone, at night. I could be robbed, abducted, maybe even killed.” Akechi lowers his head and stares up at Ren, batting his eyes at him as he tightens his grip on his hand.

Fatal mistake, because Ren was now staring down at him, dominance exerting from every fiber of him. Ren doesn’t respond right away, instead using his other hand to gently brush Akechi’s hair away from his face, only for it to fall back into his eye again. The touch is tender and Akechi wants to feel it again, to feel that hand gently brushing against his skin, so light and causing his body to shiver. Ren must have felt the shiver that ran through his body as the fingers that had brushed the hair away then run along his cheek all the way down to his lips. Yet, they stop and Ren pulls away, still gazing into his core. What the Hell. Who did this asshole think he was? “I’ll be there,” the words are like a whisper, a hushed promise for only the two of them to hear. Akechi wants to lean into him, press his face closer to Ren’s and stay there a little longer. He refrains, pulling away and sitting straight up again to finish the dinner that had been prepared for him. He unlocks their fingers and Ren pulls his hand back and they resume their dinner.

Ren brings up simple, harmless topics, such as hobbies, classes, and favorite foods, and Akechi doesn’t know why he decides to entertain Ren’s questions. “As for favorite foods,” He pauses to think “Well, I may not look like the type, but I really do love sweets. I think I would have to go with pancakes.” Their food now long gone, plates pushed to the side as they continue their conversation. Akechi had been listening to the smooth sound of Ren’s voice, losing track of time as they exchanged stories.

Akech found out that Ren had apparently never played chess, but was definitely open to learning how to play. He also found out that before moving to Tokyo he had never been able to cook and it was Sojiro who had taught him, to which Akechi had informed him with some embarrassment that he had never been good with cooking. There was also how he had simultaneously worked at a flower shop in Shibuya and would have to run to his job at a beef bowl shop right after, but thanks to it he was able to save up enough money to pay his tuition at his prep school and live off. Apparently Sojiro, as kind as he was, didn’t provide for luxuries such as food or even a place for Ren to take a bath, so the boy relied heavily upon the public bath across the street. 

In turn, he ends up relieving things he didn’t intend to tell Ren about him. The first being how he spent more time at his internship and school than he did anything else, or how he lived alone only a few stops away by the JR rail, and he didn’t expect that Ren would have gotten out of him that he even started to fancy cats after meeting his damned furball. The way Ren had listened to each thing he said as if hanging onto every word, the way he never interrupts or seems to judge his story, it was therapeutic, and before he knew it, it’s past ten-thirty. “I do apologise, but I must be going. I am sorry to have overstayed my welcome.”

Ren stands from his seat and starts for the stairs “No, I definitely enjoyed your company. Let me grab your coat, wait for me, K? I’ll walk you to the station.” Ren’s back is to him before he can see the blush creeping up Akechi’s face, who in turn would deny such an action was occurring. His fans his face, convincing himself that he was only just warming up and it was due to the idiot upstairs who demanded that he wait for him, as if he needed him to actually walk him to the station. He lets his feet dangle from the bar-stool, thinking over the last few hours, it had certainly been different from what he had been expecting.

Akechi, lost in thought, does not hear Ren approaching him from behind and jumps when his hand makes contact with his shoulder. He jumps, but composes himself and looks back towards Ren who hands him his coat and a neatly wrapped bento “What’s this?” Akechi asks as Ren holds both out to him. He takes the coat first and puts it on before eyeing the bento next.

“The curry from this morning, there was some leftover and I didn’t think it should go to waste.” he responds “You said before you’re not much of a cook, you could have it for breakfast, or maybe lunch, I guess diner could work too.” This time it is Ren who blushes, cheeks tinted red as he now keeps his eyes on the ground. His words rush together and Akechi barely understands what he says. Akechi takes it from his hands and genuine shock fills every nook and cranny of his body. Surely Ren had some sort of ulterior motive for giving him such a thing. 

“Thank you, I really appreciate it. Shall we go?” Akechi clutches the bento to his side and heads for the door which Ren promptly goes to open for him. When he does however, their is a yelp as a smaller girl falls into the shop.

She lands with a thud against the floor, whining loudly and both Akechi and Ren take a step back. Who the Hell was this? “Sorry Ren…” She mutters, rubbing her face where it had made direct contact with the door.

Ren sighs loudly and shakes his head “Were you spying on us, Futaba?” he says and crosses his arms across his chest. His gaze is sharp, possibly annoyed, as he looks down at Futaba. She pulls herself up, and laughs sheepishly. What was this talk about spying? 

“I wouldn’t call it spying per say...just making sure you didn’t burn down Sojiro’s shop while he was away! Ahaha…” Futaba fiddles with her fingers and avoids Ren's gaze. Akechi catches her cast a quick look in his direction before adverting her eyes again. What's with her?

Ren doesn't seem to settle for that answer, “So, living here for nearly two years...you pick tonight that you’d just check in to see if I had burned the shop down?”

“W-well you se-...”

Suddenly, she’s cut off by Akechi, coat on, briefcase in one hand and bento in the other “I’ll be taking my leave now if you don’t mind.” Who this girl was, he had no interest anymore, not in her or her relationship to Ren, Sojiro, or Leblanc. He steps past her, making his exit without so much as a look back at the two. Ignore him all they want, it didn't matter. A cool breeze hits him as he steps out of the warm shop and a cool shiver runs up his spine. Briefly he hears Ren’s voice scolding the girl behind him, but he moves forward towards the station. When a second blast of cool air hits him, it’s then that he realises as he shivers that he left his damn scarf back in Ren’s bedroom, but to hell with it anyway. It wasn’t like he didn’t have another one back home.

Even if that one was a little bit more special that the others.

Flurries of snow have started to drift down and sticking to the ground, and as he nears the station he glances up into the dark sky. Gently, Akechi feels the flurries land on his face as he curses himself for showing vulnerability towards Ren and company. What had he been thinking coming here? What had he really been trying to accomplish? His plan was foolish from the start, and now he was sure they saw him for nothing more than the small child he really was, begging for scraps and a warm bed to sleep in. He kicks an orange traffic cone as he passes it, pouring all of his anger into the one hit, knocking it clear across the alley to the other side.

Frustration boils inside him, rising like a tidal wave as he thinks back to that stupid question, asking Ren to join him at the Jazz club tomorrow night. What, was he fucking stupid? Akechi checks the time and realises that he has just barely enough time to catch the last train home and quickly hurries to the station. He digs his headphones from his pocket as well and tries to distance himself from the world.

Akechi couldn’t tell if he was satisfied with the day he spent, or annoyed that his project was due tomorrow afternoon and he still wasn’t completely finished. He goes over a timetable in his head. If he woke up by 4am, he could finish with enough time to go over the files Sea had given to him Friday evening by the time he should be leaving for class. Then he could also eat the curry Ren had given him for breakfast.

He stops.

He stops and stares at the bento.

He stops and stares at the bento and thinks over Ren’s kindness. 

Irritation and infatuation, that’s what he's feeling. Irritated that asshole would pretend to be so kind to him. Infatuated that he would prepare him a bento and offer to walk him to the station. Irritated that Ren would follow up all his advances with his own. Infatuated because every return touch from Ren set his body on fire and he craved that attention even more. Irritation and infatuation because he wanted him, needed him near him even more. But above all, he wanted Ren Amamiya nowhere near him. Because, why would he? He didn't want to hurt anymore, he didn't want anyone to break down the walls he had so carefully put up. 

Akechi the enters the train station and suddenly realises the prickle of tears building. When had he started crying? Moreover, why was he crying?

* * *

“I can’t believe you’re here. Were you really spying on us?” Ren looks over the younger girl, bits of snow flurries plied into her hair, shivering, and wearing nothing but slippers on her feet.

“I’m sorry! At first you two were having a normal conversation, but then you started getting all quiet and stuff and I couldn’t hear and I just reeeeaally wanted to know what was going on and I'm...sorry Ren. I didn't mean to make him leave like that.” Futaba flails her arms around her head, before crossing them across her chest and pouting. Her eyes land on the floor, head down, as if she knew she was in the wrong. 

“....so….you decided to spy on us Irl then….” 

“...yeah...I’m sorry….like...really sorry.” As he takes her all in, Futbaba genuinely looks apologetic. Despite the fact that she had been spying on him and Akechi. He can’t help how quickly he forgives her and pulls Futaba in for a tight hug

“Why don’t you get home...if Boss sees that you’re missing...” Ren places his hand on top of her head, ruffling her hair “You don’t wanna give the poor guy a heart attack again, do you?” Futaba nods giving Ren a tight squeeze in return before scampering off. Ren yells after her retreating form that she really needed to remove the bugs, however he assumes it falls on deaf ears as there is no response from Futaba. When she's no longer in sight, Ren turns around and heads back inside. Ren begins cleaning up the dishes, placing them in the sink with a promise to himself to wake up early and wash them before Sojiro would arrive. He makes his way to Leblanc’s attic to grab toothbrush and face wash, however the moment he enters he sees Akechi’s scarf laying at the edge of his bed where the other boy had been previously sleeping.

Didn't he need this?

As he quickly crosses the room, Ren glances down at his phone to check the time. If he hurried, there was a chance he could make it to the station before the train departed and return it to Akechi. Maybe he’d catch a cold if he didn’t have it? Maybe it was his only one and he’d be freezing when he had to go to class tomorrow. Or maybe it was a family heirloom, knitted by his great-great grandmother and passed down over several generations. And here it was, not worthy of being in his presence. Ren nearly leaps down all of the stairs and rushes past the entrance to the shop, not yet bothering to lock up. The brisk air hits his face, cooling his heated skin as he rushes forward toward the station. 

Ren reaches the turnstile and whips his commuter pass across the device. He rushes through the empty station until he comes across a familiar mop of brown hair, and a pair of headphones coming down before them. Akechi couldn’t make this easy, huh? He’d had to get a lot closer to him to get his attention. Akechi turns a corner and quickly descends down a set of stairs. 

Now sprinting, Ren makes a mad dash and takes the stairs two at a time, nearly tripping over his own feet as he does so. Below, Ren hears the distinctive sound of the training approaching the station and he doesn’t dare breath as he pushes forward at full speed. He comes around the corner after reaching the end of the stairs and almost slams into another bystander then slides to a stop, skidding across the floor and slamming into a near-by wall.

Aside from Akechi, there were only three other people waiting for the train. It rapidly pulls into the station and all of the passengers, aside from the unobservant Detective, are staring at the young man struggling to get to his feet. Before it has the chance to open its doors, Ren screams Akechi’s name the best he can, out of breath and barely standing. When did he get so out of shape? The boy in question turns to face him, shock evident on his face as he whispers his name, as if questioning why this dumbass had run all the way here from the shop.

Akechi’s eyes are already pink, tears threatening to fall. Behind him, the doors to the train open and over the loudspeaker the cheerful voice of a young woman states the train’s arrival. Ren crosses the few feet between them, knotting Akechi’s scarf in his hands and placing it over the other’s head “Don’t catch a cold, Darling” Ren whispers and his thumbs tenderly to Akechi’s eyes, wiping the tears away, and placing his forehead against the boy’s in front for him. Akechi sniffles, eyes wide with several tears now dripping down his face and his hands finding their way to Ren’s waist. He holds them there and for an instant and Ren wonders if he would miss his train.

The scarf covers the lower half of Akechi’s face, but bits of his cheeks that are exposed are tinted pink, and Ren highly doubts it’s from the cold. Akechi seems to hesitate for a moment, before quickly pulling away and rushing onto the train just before the door closes. Ren sees him quickly toss his belongings onto an empty seat, pulling out his phone and typing a hasty message into his phone. Akechi places it against the glass window and Ren has just enough time to look at his face, and despite the haphazard way he threw the scarf around his face, Ren can just make out the smile that goes all the way up to Akechi’s eyes. His eyes then catch the message being expended to him.

**_Detective Prince: Thank you_ **

The train pulls away from the station, both boys watching the other until the train enters the tunnel. When he is the only one left at the station, Ren makes his way back to Leblanc. He trembles as he exits the station, no longer fueled by adrenaline and suddenly it’s much colder than he had remembered. Upon returning back to Leblanc, he locks up properly for the evening and finally finds himself preparing for bed. Teeth brushed. Face washed. Morgana fed. Pajamas changed. 

Quickly finding that his previous energy is all but gone, Ren nearly falls asleep the moment his face makes contact with his pillow. He decides to check his phone one last time for the evening and oh...he wasn’t expecting a message so soon from Akechi. 

**_Detective Prince: Fool_ **

**_Detective Prince: You know that wasn’t my only scarf, right?_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: It was actually just an excuse to come see you one last time_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: I didn't get to walk you to the station D;_ **

**_Detective Prince: You’re seeing me tomorrow for Jazz_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: But….that’s tomorrow. This was tonight._ **

**_Detective Prince: And I bet you were expecting to hold my hand_ **

**_Detective Prince: walk me to the station like a proper gentleman_ **

**_Detective Prince: and kiss me goodnight?_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Don’t deny you were thinking I would before Futaba showed up_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Are you feeling okay tho?_ **

**_Detective Prince: Fine, thank you. No need to worry._ **

**_Detective Prince: I’ll admit, your friends ruined my plans twice in one day however._ **

**_Detective Prince: You keep interesting company_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Twice??? What do you mean twice??? What plans_ **

**_Detective Prince: Good night Amamiya. I’ll see you tomorrow_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: AKECHI. NO. WAIT._ **

**_CafeLaJoker: WHAT PLANS DID YOU MEAN._ **

**_Detective Prince: f_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: HEY HEY!! That’s not a proper response Akechi_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: I need to know what you meant by that_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: I can’t sleep unless you tell me_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Akechi, I beg you, please answer me D:_ **

**_Detective Prince: Only because you’re begging…_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Oh….are you into that kinda thing? I can beg more if you need me to_ **

**_Detective Prince: By all means, please do._ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Please…I need you to tell me...I’ll do anything ...tell me so I can have a restful night of sleep before my exams_ **

**_Detective Prince: anything you say?_ **

_**CafeLaJoker: except murder. But nudes and lingerie are totally cool.** _

_**CafeLaJoker: I've been told I have a very nice ass** _

**_Detective Prince: I’ll have to hold you to that then ;] I’ll cash in on my ‘anything’ at a later date_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Oh God, I was joking. But I have a feeling I can’t go back now_ **

**_Detective Prince: A deal is a deal_ **

**_Detective Prince: and to hold up my end of this agreement,_ **

**_Detective Prince: the plans your friends ruined are…_ **

**_[...Detective Prince is typing...]_ **

The anticipation is killing him, what the hell did Akechi mean when he said that? What plans could he possibly have? For several minutes Ren watches Akechi type, delete, then type again. He just wanted to know what the other had to say already. When ten minutes pass and still there is no response, Ren grows a little worried and sends him a message.

**_CafeLaJoker: these plans were….?_ **

**_Detective Prince: Sorry. Fell asleep._ **

**_Detective Prince: Plan 1. Have you kiss me senseless in that damn attic_ **

**_Detective Prince: Plan 2. Hold my hand and kiss me senseless in that damn station_ **

**_Detective Prince: you daft idiot_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Meet me in Shibuya at the Ginza Line and I’ll kiss you good morning instead_ **

**_Detective Prince: Disgusting. Kiss me goodnight at after the performance tomorrow_ **

**_Detective Prince: and just for the record, that does not count as my ‘anything’ as I already know you want to kiss me_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: :/_ **

**_Detective Prince: get some sleep you lovesick puppy_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Woof_ **

Was he seriously going on a date with Akechi tomorrow? Ren can't help the grin that spreads from ear to ear. Akechi sure was interesting, first aloof, then snuggling against him, pushing him away, and even insulting him, but still wanting to go on a date? Get a kiss goodnight? Call him a masochist, but he was surely interested in figuring out what makes Goro AKechi tick, figuring out the meaning behind him suddenly appearing in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter six is about 99% completed, just doing some editing and adding in a few extra scenes. Hopefully to be posted soon!
> 
> Thank you for getting this far and all the love for the last few chapters <3 It really means so much
> 
> Also, if you have not mixed potatoes with your miso, you're very much missing out okay. This was how my host mother used to make it, and when I brought it up to people they were very confused on why adding poetess were a good idea! 10/10 high recommended if you have a chance!


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akechi tries alcohol for the first time and Ren is helpful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to back updates? 
> 
> I guess I have too much free time.
> 
> Please enjoy
> 
> Updated tags
> 
> Again not Beta read this time, if anything seems off please feel free to let me know <3

**_Detective Prince: about tonight…_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Oh no...don’t tell me you’re cancelling_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: I already got all dolled up for you D;_ **

**_Detective Price: actually, I wanted to propose a game to you._ **

**_Detective Pince: unless you’re afraid to lose_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: I never lose_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: challenge accepted >D_ **

**_Detective Prince: you don’t even know what it is yet_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: Doesn’t matter, still gunna win_ **

**_Detective Prince: Alright. The game is simple._ **

**_Detective Prince: It’s called Strategic Dominance_ **

**_Detective Prince: All you have to do is Dominate your opponent_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: and how do you do that?_ **

**_Detective Prince: the best way to learn is to jump right in._ **

**_Detective Prince: I’m sure you’ll figure out the rules in due time_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: and if I win?_ **

**_Detective Prince: winner gets to pick our next date ;)_ **

**_Detective Prince: loser has to pay_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: OooOOoh I hope the detective gig pays well then_ **

**_CafeLaJoker: I’ve had my eye on a buffet and it costs out the ass to go_ **

\---

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

Ren paces around the entrance of Jazz Jin, the club that Akechi had informed him they would meet, and checks his phone for the time and to see if there were any new messages from Akechi. 7:28pm, he’s 17 minutes early for their meeting. It hadn’t been on purpose, but he couldn’t help it. When class had let out for the day, Ren had simply rushed home after saying his good-byes to Ryuji and Ann, dressed himself, deposited Morgana in the shop to be watched by Sojiro, and quickly rushed to Kichijoji to look for the club.

Another deep breath in, then out. Akechi hadn’t sent him any messages since proposing that game, and he wasn’t sure if it would be okay for him to message first stating that he had arrived. So here he was, sitting outside of this club and hoping that the one he was to meet didn’t forget or stand him up, then does a once over of his outfit again. Tight blue jeans (the tightest that he currently owned actually,) black turtleneck with a grey coat over top, and tan boots. Ren checks his reflection in his phone’s front facing camera, sliding his glasses up his nose slightly and pushing a few loose locks of hair out of his face. 

“Are we taking a selfie?” The sudden appearance of Akechi on his screen causes Ren to jump slightly. He turns to look at Akechi who is smirking back at him and Ren feels his breath hitch, because holy damn was this man beautiful. With his brown hair tied loosely into a low ponytail, that same checkered scarf from the previous day, cream button up jacket, and dark slacks Ren fears rivals how tight his own are. How he didn’t notice it before, Ren wasn’t sure, but Akechi is slightly taller than him and the aura of dominance permeates the small space between them. That needed to chance.

“Yes, care to join me?” Ren holds the camera to angle them both into the shot, putting his arm around Akechi’s waist to pull him closer. The movement does not seem to be lost on him as Akechi pulls him closer as well, straightening his back and Ren finds his head is nestled between Akechi’s chin and shoulder. Low blow Goro Akechi.

Leave it to this perfect man to one up him. He wouldn’t let it end here. So, this is the game. Ren thinks he’s starting to understand the rules now.

Just as fast as it had happened, Akechi pulls away once the photo is taken and begins to descend the stairs to Jazz Jin. “We’re both a little early, why don’t we settle down and we can chat before the show begins,” Akechi tosses a wink his way and beacons him with his finger. Hook, line, and sinker because Ren follows wordlessly behind Akechi, and he wonders for a moment, staring down at that ass, how he’d react if he were to just…

Akechi stops and speaks to the host, pulling out his wallet and handing the man some cash then looks to Ren coming up behind him “As payment for yesterday, do let me pay your entrance fee for tonight, Amamiya.” Then he has that perfect, megawatt smile again. Ren thanks him as Akechi leads them to an empty table in the corner of the room, the lights already dimmed and soft Jazz peacefully plays from the speakers. “I really enjoy coming here. My fanclub doesn’t know about this, it seems like this is the only place I can come and relax without getting noticed.”

Ren picks up the drink menu and begins looking over the mocktails and he notices that Akechi seems to move his chair to be within arms reach. What was he planning? Whatever it was, Ren told himself that he would not let Akechi make the first move this time around “ Do you come here often then?” he asks, but Akechi shakes his head.

“These days, not so much. I’ve been really busy with my internship and school.” Akechi too picks up the menu and Ren watches as his eyes scan over the mocktails as well. 

“How is that going by the way? Your internship that is. You mentioned during your interview you were working on a case,” Ren eyes the list of virgin margaritas and wonders what the point of those were. Weren’t they like, 90% alcohol? 

Akechi places his menu down and groans and Ren notices again how tired he looks, how yesterday he had even fallen asleep nearly as soon as he had arrived in the attic. He analyses the boy in front of him, how he tries to keep up a facade of a happy-go-lucky college student, how he seems to push himself despite how exhausted he seemed. “Ah, very well actually. I didn’t want to say with all those cameras there, but we actually made a break in the case. So hopefully, we’ll be able to catch the bastard soon.” 

The look in Akechi’s eyes catches him off guard, he seems serious and angry now, as if there was some unseen force driving him. “It must have been hard getting this far, you must be tired.”

“Indeed it was quite difficult, but I’ll be able to focus more on this case while we’re on winter break. I guess you could say I have a personal interest this time.” Akechi goes back to looking at the drink menu, probably in an attempt to change the subject. “I think I might go with a ‘Cuddles on the Beach’ today! I usually like to go with a Virgin Colada, but this sounds rather good.” His voice is more cheerful now, the venomous look from earlier now gone. The snort and hysterical laughter that follows his choice of drink earns Ren a glare from Akechi. “Care to explain what’s so funny?”

“Wouldn’t you prefer having Sex on the Beach?” Ren reaches under the table and places his hand on Akechi’s knee, picking up where they left off before. He slides his hand from his knee, up his thigh, going only slightly farther than Akechi had the previous day, the entire time he never breaks eye contact “Or, do you lack experience, Akechi.” The way Akechi’s eyes widen, the way his face immediately flushes, and the sudden tensing of his muscles; Ren knew that he was clearly in the lead of their silent game of dominance.

“Ah, but you are still a minor, yes? Do tell me of your experience then.” His heart stops and he tries not to show the sudden lack of confidence on his face because this beguiling, vexing boy had just spread his legs farther open than they had before. Ren nearly takes the invitation when the host from before comes to take their orders and he instead quickly pulls his hand away. Akechi really does order the Sex on the Beach and Ren goes for a Shirly Temple, and with orders taken, the host leaves the boys back to their shenanigans. Ren silently wonders if he was pretending not to notice or if he really hadn’t.

He’s nervous now, and the bravado from before is gone. Finally, he responds back to Akechi’s earlier statement “I, actually don’t have any experience. If you can believe that.” Ren can feel the tips of his ears heat up and he places his hands on the table. This seems to capture Akechi’s interest as he raises his brows and his grin from earlier is back, head cocked to the side and, shit, at this rate he was going to end up losing their game.

“Is that so?” Akechi frowns, sticking out his bottom lip in a pout.“ And here I was expecting maybe after this, I could have taken you back to my apartment. But, I guess little children do have curfews after all.” The sigh that escapes his lips is the fakest thing Ren had ever had the pleasure of hearing.

“We can still go.” The words come rushing out before he has the chance to stop himself and he’s fallen for Akechi’s bait. The host drops off their drinks and leaves just as quickly as he had come.

Akechi plucks the cherry from his cocktail, holding the stem between his fingers as he presses it to his lips, sucking lightly on the fruit until it pops off and he begins to softly, slowly chew it, and as Ren had before, never taking his eyes away from his prey. Ren swallows, and nearly forgets what it is like to be able to breathe as Akechi then winks at him and he knows that he’s puddy in the other’s hands. “Someone’s eager, aren’t they?” Akechi’s voice is low and heavy with seduction.

If his dick wasn’t hard already, it definitely was now. The lights grow dimmer and the sound of heels clicking against the stage brings their eyes forward to the woman now making her way onto the stage. Ren takes the moment to glance sideways to Akechi who is distracted by what is going on with the stage and tries to be as inconspicuous as possible as he places one leg over the other in a pathetic attempt to conceal his embarrassment. The movement doesn’t seem to escape Akechi’s attention however, as the other merely places his hand on Ren’s leg and gently pushes it back onto the ground, that damn all-knowing-shit-eating grin still plastered on his pretty face. 

The show finally begins, and both boys restrain themselves for the time being. Ren tries to think of anything that isn’t related to Akechi and those damn hands, and for the most part, it seems to work as his raging hormones decide to finally give him a break. Between songs they clap, exchange words while waiting for the next set up, and from time to time order new drinks. By the time Akechi has reached his 4th refill, Ren begins to notice that someone, coughAkechicouch, was rather new to the whole drinking experience apparently. Or at least wasn’t much of a drinker. Akechi smiles and hums along to each song, tapping the table to the beat of the song. His eyes are nearly closed and his head his propped up on his palm and supported by his elbow. 

As the last song approaches, last call is announced and Ren catches Akechi down the last of his drink before ending the night with a Long Island Tea order, “Don’t you think you’ve had enough? We still have class tomorrow you know.” Ren gives him a worried look wondering what type of tolerance Akechi had.

“Nonsense, I’ll be fine in the morning.” His voice is louder than Ren is sure he means to be and he seems like he’s in the best mood of his life. A few people look their way but go back to minding their own business shortly after. He’s smiling, a huge, beautiful smile, and his face is flushed and his words slur together slightly. His head leans to the side, and the look he gives Ren is soft as he uses his hand to run his fingers against Ren’s knuckles, giggling to himself when Ren flips his hand over instead and locks their fingers together, putting a stop to the game.

Akechi tugs at his hand slightly, but Ren shakes his head “I think that’s enough for tonight. How about we enjoy the last set together?” Akechi nods and lends his elbow against the table and places his face against his palm, watching the performance as he stokes Ren’s interlocked hand with his thumb, both boys enjoying the calming atmosphere. When the song ends, Ren catches Akechi softly humming along, his final drink now empty, and it was time to leave for the night. As they leave the club and head for the station Ren feels Akechi’s fingers tighter around his again. “Is it okay to be holding your hands like this? Someone could see.” 

“I’ll probably regret it tomorrow, but for tonight I want to indulge in your presence a little longer if you don’t mind.” Akechi nearly stumbles over his own feet and Ren reaches out to make sure he doesn’t lose his balance. “I’m sorry but...this was actually my first time going out for drinks. I might have gone a little overboard.” His body slams into Ren’s side and he nearly loses balance for both of them. He slows down his paces to make sure they make it to the station in one piece, and Akechi follows suit.

Ren chuckles “So you’re a lightweight then?”

Akechi stomps his foot down, an action that causes them both to stumble “Not a lightweight, just a first time drinker you piece of shit.” he points an accusatory finger to Ren’s face, his words now very slurred, but all Ren can do in that moment is chuckle “Don’t laugh at me, I’ll kill you damn it.”

Seeing Akechi drop the nice guy act was rather hot he had to admit “I’ll laugh at you as long as you continue to be this adorable.” He can’t help the boisterous laugh that follows. Then, Akechi’s face turns from shock, to awe, then to disgust as he pulls his hand away from their interlocked positions and begins to storm off to the station. When Akechi nearly falls for a third time, Ren links their elbows together and slows their pace yet again. “You okay?”

“F-fine.” He stutters over the simple word and seems to let Ren hold his arm in place. The few more minutes it takes for them to walk to the station are quiet before he speaks up again “Did you really mean that?” he asks.

“Mean what?” Ren replies.

They arrive at the turnstile and press their passes against the device to enter “what you said before. That I’m…” he pauses, a blush spreading from the tip of his nose and throughout his face.

“That you’re adorable?” The pair descend a flight of stairs, Ren holding tightly to Akechi so as to not let him fall and crack his damn skull.

“Yes, did you mean that?” His eyes are downcast, feet trying to make contact with the right step and his free hand holding onto the railing as they take the stairs at a snail's pace.

They make it the last few steps down onto the platform where there are others also waiting for the train home, none of whom seem to pay them any mind. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.” Akechi doesn’t pull away this time, but instead pulls Ren closer and buries his face into the thick cotton of his turtleneck. Ren let’s him, wrapping one arm around him as he leads him to a set of benches, Akechi’s face never seems to leave it’s spot even when he’s sat down by Ren. A few minutes tick by and Ren almost believes that Akechi has fallen asleep on his shoulder until he shifts and begins to speak.

“Amamiya” His name is barely a whisper on Akechi’s lips as he moves his head to get a better look at him. “Do you still want to come over?” he asks.

“It’s a little late now, and we both have classes tomorrow. Unless….” He sighs and looks over his drunken idol “ will you be able to make it home on your own?” His voice is worried as he waits for a response.

The train comes pulling into the station and those mingling around begin to line up. Ren pulls Akechi up to his feet and helps him onto the train, finding them another spot to sit “I’m not sure. I’m sorry. I didn’t intend for the evening to end this way.” 

Ren shushes him and shakes his head “It’s okay. If I walk you home, I should be able to catch the last train in time. How’s that?”

“That sounds lovely, thank you.” Akechi sits beside him, leaning his head against his shoulder as the train begins to leave the station. He reaches out and takes Ren’s hand in his own, holding tightly as he lets his eyes close. A few people around them toss them quick glances, but otherwise no one seems to pay them any mind. As the train jerks to the side suddenly, Ren hears a grunt from Akechi as it seems to disturb him, his eyes opening again then staring out of the window for the remainder of the ride, strumming his thumb against Ren’s hand and humming the final set from the performance at Jazz Jin.

* * *

Akechi lays against Ren the entire ride back to his apartment. He had informed Ren where they needed to transfer and upon reaching Shibuya Station, Ren helped him switch to their next destination. Although he remembers where he lives, he finds it hard to communicate to Ren exactly where to find his apartment and found himself having to type it into Ren’s GPS in order to navigate there properly. When they finally reach the building, Akechi informs Ren which floor and number they’ll be able to find the apartment.

The whole time, Akechi finds himself never letting go of Ren, holding onto his arm as if his life depended on it. It didn’t help that every time he did try to let go, he would find himself nearly stumbling around his own feet, but that was beside the point. In all honesty, he hadn’t really been planning to drink, let alone down as much alcohol as he had consumed in the short while they were there. He curses the fact that none of the damned drinks even tasted like alcohol. Fuck, Ren was saying something to him now, but every word feels like a jack hammer to his skull and he absolutely was not paying any attention. Wait, were his eyes closed this whole time?

Then, he feels Ren’s hands all over his body and he jerks forward, slamming his face into something hard. Akechi loses his balance, again, but feels Ren’s arms tightly wrap around his body. He whines when he feels like everything around him is spinning, and opens his eyes to see Ren’s lips are moving and he’s barely able to make out the words he’s saying.

Oh. He’s asking him where his keys are. Fuck. Did he even know where his keys were?

Akechi begins to pat himself down, much as he now realised Ren must have been doing in order to locate said keys. Eventually, he reaches inside his coat and finds a pocket there, digging his hand inside and feeling his keys, but they seem stuck. He pulls on them again, then again, but they were not coming out. Ren seems to notice his struggle and reaches his hand out in an attempt to help, however this only leads to Akechi tugging harder, the keys coming out with a distinctive ripping sound, and his fist making direct contact with Ren’s nose.

Opps. It seems he’s bleeding now. That wasn’t normal, was it?

By some sheer amount of will, Ren seems to help him back to his feet, blood now dripping down his face. “Sorry…” he mumbles, one hand covering his face and the other is looping Akechi’s arm around his shoulder. When had he managed to snag the key from his hand? Whatever. Ren twists the key into the lock and pushes it open, kicking off his shoes and sitting him at the edge of the genkan. Akechi feels his body slump against the wall and his eyes catch the trail of blood on the floor.

He’s not sure how much time passes, but then the sound of footsteps behind him alerts him of Ren’s presence again. Ren takes one of his feet and pulls off his boot, then reaches for the other foot and does the same. As he does, Akechi catches sight of Ren’s face, tissue pressed against his nose and the blood that had dripped down his neck and probably soaked into his turtleneck. When the second boot is removed Akechi lunges forward to wrap his arms around Ren’s neck, burying his face into his shoulder. Ren holds him tightly with his free hand and stands. 

“You okay?” Akechi looks up at the sound of Ren’s voice and he notices the worried look on his face. He shakes his head, whining as he brings a hand to his mouth and tries to take deep breaths.

Time doesn’t seem to pass and every sound pounds in his head, Ren’s voice is nearly a whisper to him at this point. Where was Ren bringing him? They pass the living room and kitchen, and Ren opens a door that isn’t his bedroom. Then it starts to sink in, the burning sensation in his intestines, his spinning head, and how long had he been holding his stomach? His knees barely make contact with the floor before he’s vomiting into his toilet. Ren is nestled behind him in the small room, his hand rubbing in circles along his back as another wave of nausea takes over him and his head is in the toilet once more.

The bathroom is suddenly dark, but in reality he realises, his eyes are only closed. When Akechi opens them again, his cheek is pressed against the rim of the toilet seat and he’s vaguely aware of vomit caught on his scarf and Ren is no longer behind him. Where’d he go? He can’t feel him behind him, and when he finds the strength to turn his body he’s unable to see him. Did he seriously fucking leave him there?

His body shakes, then he’s suddenly filled with energy he didn’t know he had as he begins sobbing into the bathroom floor. So Ren just brought him home, dumped him in the bathroom, and left? What the Hell kind of person was this shitbag? Akechi manages to turn his body in the small space and grips the wall, trying to pull himself up. The tears burn a hot trail down his face and he wants to punch that arrogant asshole in his face.

“Hey, hey! Careful.” Ren loops his arms under Akechi’s and pulls him to a standing position “I got you some clothes, okay? They’re on your bed. Can you walk?” 

Akechi leans into him, seems Ren had just walked into the other room. He was being foolish. “I think so,” his voice is pathetic, weak, and he lets Ren lead him to his room where he’s sat on his bed. 

Ren removes his scarf and he’s unable to see where it is discarded, then next is his coat, also discarded to an unknown location. “Do you need help changing?” 

Akechi lays back in his bed and reaches forward to attempt to unbutton his belt. “ Don’t touch me, fuck off.” He struggles to unbutton the belt then tries to remove his pants with it on regardless, only to fail. He huffs pathetically and lets his arms flop to his side then looks up at Ren who’s looking back down at him with a shit eating grin. “Fine, help me dumbass.” The bed shifts as Ren moves to sit beside him, gripping the bottom of his sweater and pulls it over his head. Akechi stares at him, letting Ren help him undress. Ren’s hands are gentle and mindful as he removes his clothes, unbuttoning his jeans and sliding them to the floor. He helps Akechi into a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt, then he maneuvers his body under the blanket “thank you, Amamiya.” 

“You bet,” Ren stays beside him, sitting at the edge of the bed “I’ll go grab you some water.” He stands, but Akechi reaches out and grabs him by the elbow. Ren removes Akechi’s fingers from him and says, “I’ll be right back, Akechi.” He looks towards his alarm clock, 11:29pm. 

He snuggles under his blanket, burying his face into his pillow, and his head still spinning like he went hard on the magic tea cups ride at Destiny Land. Why was Ren so fucking nice. Like, the nicest guy he’s had the misfortune of meeting because one way or another, he knew that he would end up screwing something up. He basically punched the boy in the nose only ten minutes ago, and yet, he was still here. Is he stupid? Did he actually punch his last brain cell out of commission? He feels the heavy weight of his eyes close, then open again when there's a soft nudge on his shoulder, 11:39pm.

Ren is back at his side and sitting at the edge of the bed. A glass of water is pressed into his hands and he does his best to sit up. He takes a few sips, slowly, and feels his stomach churn as soon as it hits, then hands the water back to Ren. He places the cup on Akechi’s nightstand and helps him lay on his side, moving him so his back is nearly against the wall. He moves himself closer, letting Akechi rest his head back on his thigh again “You’re going to feel worse, you know.” 

“I’ll deal with it tomorrow then,” he whines, then Ren’s hand is pressed against his side and the soothing motion of him running it up and down his ribs relaxes him and centers his ever spinning head. There is another nudge like before and he shifts slightly, then the motion of Ren’s hand continues. “You’re a little too good at this.” He tries to open his eyes, but they’re so heavy. When had they even closed? He checks the time again, 11:42pm.

“I currently work as a Bartender, and one of the regulars is a good friend of mine. You can say I’ve learned a lot from her I guess.” Akechi struggles to keep his eyes open, but when Ren’s hand moves from his back up to his neck a tingling sensation runs though his body and he’s never felt more at ease. Ren’s hands remove his hair from the ponytail and he wants to stay like this forever as those hands now comb their way though. He’s not sure how long it goes on as their is another nudge, bringing him back to reality, 11:52pm.

Akechi tries to sit up again, but Ren pushes him back down, laying his head against his pillow. When he tries to roll onto his stomach, he’s stopped and shifted back onto his side. “When we were at the club,” he yawns, focusing as best he can to stay alert which seems to be enforced by Ren who’s again nudging him “ you asked me about the case I’m working on.” 

“I remember that,” he replies.

Finally, he finds the energy to pull himself up, ignoring Ren’s protest to try and keep him laying down. “I really wanna find the bastard behind those red-light crimes. If I don’t….” He finds himself gripping his sheets, digging his nails into the fabri “If I don’t catch him, if I don’t put that asshole behind bars, how can I ever prove my justice to her if I can’t just…” Why were his handles trembling? Was his voice shaking too? He’s pulled into Ren’s arms where he is held tightly, and begins sobbing into him. But why?

“You’ll catch him, I know you can.” Ren’s words stab him directly in the heart. Why did he feel this need to cry? He hears Ren’s ‘shhs’ and ‘ it’s okays’ as he shakes and sobs, not understanding why this feeling was overwhelming him now, and pounding his fist into his bed, the wall, and into Ren. Akechi feels his hand make contact with Ren’s face and hears the clank as his glasses land on the floor. “Akechi, please.” When Akechi looks back at Ren, he’s expecting to see anger, annoyance, irritation, but that’s not what he sees. Ren is staring back at him, loosening his grip and allowing Akechi to pull back. “Do you want to talk about her?”

Akechi hesitates for a moment “She’s gone, and there isn’t much to talk about anymore.”

“And you want to prove you can catch this guy to someone who’s no longer here?” Ren asks.

However, Akechi shakes his head, that determination from earlier showing “No, I want to bring her killer to justice. I’ll catch him, and I’ll make sure that he pays for each one of those missing victims too.” He pulls his knees to his chest, placing his face into them, still shaking “because, what kind of Hero of Justice would I be if I couldn’t even do this much?” When his own weight feels too heavy,he sinks into his bed. “Don’t go,” he begs and pulls Ren down onto the bed, now eye to with him “don’t leave me alone tonight, please?” 

“Does this count as your ‘anything’ favor?” Ren makes himself comfortable and he chuckles.

That laugh is music to Akechi’s ears and he feels a full, genuine smile graces his face and he snakes his arms around Ren’s torso pressing his face against him “No, because you missed the last train anyway, stupid. You’re my prisoner now.”

“Anyway for me to get on the warden’s good side?” Akechi presses his forehead to Ren’s and he can feel the boy’s breath on his face.

“Mmm, you did promise the warden a good night kiss last night, if he remembers correctly.” Ren’s fingers trace across his skin, he doesn’t know what he’s feeling. He knows he’s damaged, he knows he’s broken, he knows that all he can do is hurt anyone that gets close to him. But he didn’t know what else to do, how else to get close to someone, because no one ever wanted him around. Ren’s fingers are in Akechi’s hair now and he tries to battle the self-destructive thoughts flooding through him, pushing every thought out of his head that in that moment, hold him to scream and kick Ren out of his apartment.

“I did, didn’t?” Akechi closes his eyes, waiting. In the end, he allows himself to accept Ren in this moment, accepting the thought that maybe there was at least one person who might be willing to put up with him. This near-stranger who just happened to come into his life in less than a week. A near-stranger, who turned who turned his entire world upside down all because he had made a stupid post on social media “But, I’m sorry to disappoint. Now’s not the right time, you’ll have to sober up, Warden.”

Sincere. Kind. Endearing.

Shit, it looks like he may have lost this time. Oh well. There's always next time.

“You’ll never cease to surprise me, Innate.” The fingers that had been strumming their way though his locks now stop, and Akechi strains to crane his neck towards Ren. Ren’s eyes are closed, his chest lifting and lowering, and his head rests on top of his arm. With the last of his energy, he looks at the clock one last time, 12:32 am, a whole hour he’d been laying in this bed already. Akechi joins Ren in sleep, the boy’s hand is heavy, yet light and resting on the crown of his head. It’s peaceful, it’s relaxing. And Akechi doesn’t want it to end.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings for this chapter include
> 
> mentions of death, suicide, and descriptions of death and dead bodies due to the nature of Akechi's internship.
> 
> Nabe -is a variety of Japanese hot pot dishes, also known as one pot dishes and "things in a pot." (thank you wikipedia) 
> 
> All names now belonging to already established Persona characters were created using a name generator as well as all dates mentioned in Akechi's case files (ironically all the dates were chosen at random despite the timing of one of them)
> 
> not beta read
> 
> tags updated again
> 
> Please enjoy
> 
> Please enjoy

**_4:56am_ **

**_Ren: Ryuji….my best friend...my buddy…._ **

**_Ren: I need you_ **

**_Ren: Plz_ **

**_Ren: can you bring your spare uniform to school today_ **

**_5:26am_ **

**_Ren: I promise to buy you ramen_ **

**_5:49am_ **

**_Ren: BUT YOU GOTTA ACTUALLY BRING IT OKAY_ **

**_6:01am_ **

**_Ren: I’m doomed_ **

\---

Akechi tosses in his sleep and Ren quickly closes his phone, trying not to disturb him more. His plan hadn’t been to originally stay the night, he really was going to catch the last train home. But when it was clear that Akechi had too much to drink, it didn’t feel right leaving him alone. Especially when he realised the other lived by himself. Then, his plan had switched to simply moving to the couch once Akechi had fallen asleep (and he made sure that he was deff okay to sleep on his own.)However….none of that had really gone as planned seeing as he he ended up staying far later than he meant to trying to take care of Akechi. And, he fell asleep before him.

Now, here he is, needing to get ready for class, and tangled in a mess of Akechi and his death grip. At some point in the night, Ren had rolled so that his back was facing Akechi, and this must have been the best thing ever as Akechi had latched onto him and he was sure the other was holding him so tight his ribs might crack. One of Akechi’s legs was also over his waist, the other currently pressed against the back of his knee keeping him in place. Okay, maybe it wasn’t that tight. And he could probably just pull his arms off at any time. But Ren’s comfortable, and he really didn’t want to move. 

Ren couldn’t deny how nice it felt to have someone holding him, pressed against his back as he woke up. The way that Akechi would from time to time, pressed his face into his shoulder and make little noises as he did so. How every so often he would adjust himself and sometimes, somehow, cuddle even closer. It was nice. The only downside was how unbelievably hot it was. Like seriously, he was pretty sure he was sweating in spots he really didn’t want to be sweating right now. Not to mention the uncomfortable urge to have to piss, but Akechi’s death grip was out of this world.

-

**_Ryuji: Hey dude, you good???_ **

**_Ryuji: I have the extra uniform in my bag now_ **

**_Ryuji: something happened???????_ **

-

Thank whatever God finally decided to have mercy on him because Ryuji just saved his Goddamned life.

-

**_Ren: I wasn’t able to make it home last night_ **

**_Ren: don’t really think I can talk about it_ **

**_Ren: but I don’t have time to make it home and change_ **

**_Ryuji: whatever body you need to hide, you can lemme know dude_ **

**_Ryuji: I know a guy that knows a guy and shit_ **

-

Oh Ryuji. If only you knew about the cute body he currently had clinging to his back like a baby koala. Speaking of which, his movements seem to disturb Akechi again as the other mumbles something incoherent as he lifts his head. Akechi’s grip on him loosens and he takes the chance to turn around coming face to face with him. “Morning, honey,” Ren teases. Akechi, eyes barely open, only mutters back something under his breath that sounds vaguely like ‘fuck you’ but Ren isn’t very sure. “What time do you have to be in class today?”

Akechi whines loudly as he attempts to sit up and immediately gives up, the poor boy looks a mess. “It’s Tuesday, right?” he mumbles, to which Ren nods “I have to be there by eight.”

“Let’s get you up then,” Ren takes hold of Akechi, trying to help him out of the bed. The entire time Akechi hisses holding his head, and Ren realises this is his first hangover. He helps Akechi to his feet, who stumbles for a moment, then rights himself. They both look at each other for a moment, and Ren wishes that he knew what is going on in the other’s head. Was he okay? Was he annoyed that Ren is still here? Did he remember last night’s events? But, before he could dwell on it any longer, Akechi starts digging around in his closet, probably looking for an outfit to change into. He is silent, barely looking at Ren and never saying a word the entire time.

Ren watches him, wondering if he should break the silence when Akechi finally turns back to him with a new outfit in hand. “You should probably get going, you don't want to be late for school,” his voice is harsh, and his eyes are sharp, it didn’t seem anything like the Akechi that had clinged to him last night, the one who’s hands traced light circles into his palm, the one who could barely walk without stumbling over his feet and holding onto Ren. 

No, this Akechi seems hurt, afraid, and reserved. As if seeming him vulnerable first thing in the morning was enough to set him off. He stands perfectly upright and stiff, staring straight at him before turning his back and walking out of the room, leaving the clothes he was holding discarded on his bed. Ren quickly follows him out and sees that he’s standing in his kitchen “I still have time, do you want to walk to the station together?” 

Akechi pours himself a glass of water, sipping at it and leaning against his counter, then rubs at a dark bruise on his forehead. Probably the one he got from when he slammed his face into the front door, “I suppose that’s okay. I won’t stop you.” When he finishes, he places the glass on the counter beside him, folding his arms across his body and stares at his feet. It’s barely noticeable, but Ren can tell he’s trembling. He can tell he’s nervous.

Akechi stays that way and Ren takes a few steps and stops at the edge of the counter and Akechi turns his head slightly at the movement. They both lock eyes for a moment before Akechi pushes himself off the counter, hesitates, then closes the gap between them by reaching his hand across the counter to Ren’s.

It’s silent, and Ren knows they can’t stay like this, they have to go. He grips Akechi’s hand in his and gives it a light squeeze and is rewarded with one back “You should change or we might be late.” But, Akechi doesn’t respond back and merely stares back down towards the floor. And, they stay like that once again as another few minutes pass them by. Then it’s Akechi who makes the first move.

He walks past him, walking into his bedroom and closing the door behind him, followed by the clicking of the lock. Ren finds himself sighing, and taking the time to use Akechi’s bathroom and do his best to freshen up while the other gets changed. The night prior, he hadn’t gotten the chance to really look over Akechi’s apartment, being too busy trying to make sure he didn’t pass out from drinking too much or roll over and choke on his own vomit. But, as he looks over everything in the light of the new day, he realises something he hadn’t before.

Akechi’s apartment is very minimalist. A simple love seat with a table in front of it and a TV that rests against the wall, and Ren assumes this must be where he ate his meals as there wasn’t a table set up in the apartment. In his room there had been only his bed with a nightstand beside it and a desk. Even his fridge he noticed was nearly bare, having gone through it looking for water for Akechi previously, and only noticing rice, some takeout, and various condiments. Seeing it, it gave Ren an idea. Maybe he would make some more boxed lunches for Akechi in the future if given the chance.

Even the bathroom is rather small, not that he had anything to say seeing as he only had Leblanc’s restroom. The apartment itself isn’t very large, so Ren isn’t surprised to see that the layout included both the toilet and his bathtub in the same cramped room. It must have been a real hassle trying to relax this way, he assumes, and wonders if he should invite Akechi to the bathhouse sometime in order for him to properly relax.

Was he thinking too much into this?

As he washes his hands, Ren catches sight of himself in the mirror. A dark bruise has already formed on the right side of his nose from when Akechi decked him trying to get his keys. Then he notices a smaller one, so small he nearly misses it at the base of his chin. Ren figures this must have been from when Akechi was wildly flailing his arms around and his palm accidentally colliding with his face when he went in to restrain him. He knew he didn’t mean to smack him, but he couldn’t say that it didn’t take him by surprise either.

Ryuji and Ann were going to have a lot of questions for him, huh?

He exits the bathroom where he sees Akechi, briefcase in hand, a new coat and scarf wrapped nearly around his neck, and waiting for him at the door. He’s scrolling through his phone when he notices Ren emerge from the bathroom, and Ren notices his hair is now brushed and the bruise is covered up. “Shall we go?” His voice is calmer, smoother now, but he still doesn’t smile. His eyes look tired, and his stance seems stiff as it had been earlier. Ren meets him at the door and follows Akechi outside. Akechi proceeds to lock the door behind him and Ren goes to start walking, however Akechi grabs his elbow and stops him in place “I think you’re forgetting something.”

Forgetting something? Ren tries to think over what it could be that he was missing then does a quick phone, keys, wallet check on all his pockets and determines that he does, in fact, have all of his belongings. “What am I forgetting?” he asks.

Akechi looks right, then left as if he was searching for someone, sighs deeply, then looks back at Ren “You didn’t keep your promise last night.” Behind him, the sun slowly rises still, bathing them both in it’s glow. The winter air nips at them both, but the flush that crosses Akechi’s face, Ren know’s it’s most certainly not from the cold. “I am sober now, afterall. I didn’t forget, and I don’t take kindly to people breaking their promises.” 

A warm feeling bubbles in the pit of his stomach and Ren finds himself smiling as he moves to close the gap between them. Akechi takes a step back, his face now red from the bottom of his chin to the tips of his ears as Ren wraps his arms around his waist and his back presses against his door. His heart beats rapidly inside his chest and he tries to control his breathing, then he feels Akechi place his arms around his neck and tugs slightly as before closing his eyes. Lightly, he presses his lips to Akechi’s and the other presses back gently at first, and as their lips linger against the other’s, pressing more force.

And it’s Akechi who tentatively begins to suck on his bottom lip and Ren can’t help the gasp when next he feels Akechi’s hand sliding up into his hair. He follows Akechi’s lead and presses him harder against the front door of the apartment and both increase the fire of the kiss. But, just ask quickly as it had started, both pull away, slightly breathless and staring at the other. Akechi’s hand, still in his hair, muses his fingers through his curly locks before running along his cheeks. Ren presses their foreheads together and closes his eyes again at Akechi’s touch.

“We’re going to miss the train,” Akechi whispers as he lowers his arms.

“When will I see you next?” Ren pulls back from the embrace and both begin their journey to their respective schools.

“Mmm…” Akechi smiles now then winks at him “...I do need to review some case files after my finals. Do you know a good place where I can get some coffee after a long day?”

“I might know a place,” both laugh, and Akechi’s shoulder seems to relax now, his posture less stiff and his eyes soften. “But, from what I remember, you didn’t happen to pay for their coffee on your last visit. The cute barista there might not let you in.”

There is a fake gasp from Akechi and he pretends to be shocked “Oh no, how could I repay my debt then? They certainly do have the best coffee.” Ren places a quick kiss to Akechi's cheek and is shoved away from him. He laughs, but Akechi continues to frown, now placing his arms across his chest.

“How about we call it even then, Detective?” Akechi grumbles under his breath and pushes him harder this time and starts walking ahead of him, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat as he does so. Ren laughs as he quickly catches up to him, linking their arms together at the elbow and grinning madly “Tell me what you want for dinner too, okay? I’ll make sure it’s ready for you when you arrive.”

“We’re not playing some sort of house game, you fool,” the words aren’t harsh, but playful as Akechi unlinks their arms and keeps his head forward. Ren lets his arm fall back to his side and watches Akechi’s face. He’s composed now, and just by looking at him, someone might never know how intoxicated he had been the night previous.“But….it is winter. How about some nabe?” Akechi’s hair bounces around his face, chestnut locks framing his beautiful features. Ren swallows, really wanting to bring him back to bed and lay with him a little longer and kiss him again.

“Then nabe it is.” And Akechi huffs, looking away from him but gently also brushing their hands together in the lightest of touches. “What kind of meat do you like?” But Akechi doesn’t answer right away. Ren watches and doesn't bother him for an answer either, then wonders if he should pick the ingredients himself if he doesn’t get a response.

Then, there is a soft whisper from Akechi, so soft, he barely hears it at first, “I’d like pork, if that’s okay.” Akechi’s gaze is downcast, but he’s still mindful of his steps, stepping down off the sidewalk when they get to the crossing. 

“Pork is fine, love” Ren receives a shove from Akechi, but isn’t corrected by him.

They both reach the train station and take the train the few stops to Shibuya, then have to part ways as Ren exits for the Ginza line and Akechi for the JR. They both wave, but from behind Ren feels two arms suddenly wrap around him, giggling madly, and when he turns, he notices bright blonde hair and two large blue eyes staring back at him. Ann.

She sheepishly pulls away, but grinning all the same “You’re early today! Normally you show up to class right on time. What’s the rush?” when she’s a decent distance away, her brows furrow and she looks concerned. “What happened to your face? And, where’s your uniform?” She presses a finger to his nose which makes Ren flinch and push her hand away.

“It’s kind of a long story,” He laughs, then looks towards where Akechi had been standing previously. However, he’s no longer there. 

Ann follows his gaze, but upon seeing the empty spot her attention goes back to Ren, “I think my concealer should be about your tone...why don't we hurry up and get to school then? I can help you put it on.” She loops their arms together and starts pulling him through the turnstile of the Ginza line. Ren looks around one last time in an attempt to catch sight of Akechi, but he seems to be long gone, probably already on his train. He allows Ann to pull him all the way to their train, wondering if Akechi would prefer shitake or enoki mushrooms in their nabe. 

As the doors shut, Ryuji barely manages to slide in at the last second. Ann rolls her eyes at him, but laughs as he pushes his way through the crowd to stand near them, holding onto a nearby pole as the train leaves the station. And just as Ann had, Ryuji also seems to find it necessary to point out the bruise on his face “Duuude, what the eff man? Who fucked you up?” Ann scolds him for being so brash, but he goes on “Mind tellin’ us what happened last night? I’m actually kinda worried ‘bout you now.”

Ren debates it. How much he should tell him, or if he should flat out lie. He decides to go with the lie “Lala called me into work last night, and one of the customer’s got a bit rowdy. By the time it was all over, it was after the last train and I stayed at a hotel.” He shrugs, trying to play it cool. Ann gives him a disbelieving look, but doesn’t question it and Ryuji seems satisfied with the answer and brings up the topic of the Christmas Eve party instead.

The plan was pretty straight forward, the Featherman showing was set to air at 8pm on Thursday night, and they would all gather at Leblanc by 7pm for the gift exchange. It was to be a white elephant style, everyone would bring an already wrapped gift and they would draw straws to see who would go first and they would choose a gift at random. The next person would go and they would either steal the gift the first person picked, or pick their own from the pile and so on until everyone was finished. They had all agreed that they would also allow everyone to go around once more and decide if they would steal or keep one more time. Even Yusuke had seemed interested, the group assuming him that anything he was to bring would be fine.

Haru said she had called around asking if any places had any last minute openings for fried chicken orders. Ren assumes she pulled a few strings as she really did manage to find a place on short notice. The group had also nagged and begged her to finally bring her girlfriend around, the one that she had been secretly dating since high school behind her fiance’s back. And to their surprise, both Haru and her girlfriend had finally agreed.

Ann decided to take on the challenge of banking a Christmas cake.

Ryuji said his mom could order them a pizza.

Futaba offered up Sojiro’s curry as a cop out (not that anyone would complain about that anyway.)

Yusuke, everyone just told him not to bother bringing anything and that his presence was enough for him, Haru even going as far to say she would go with him to shop for presents if he needed the extra support. He truly did love all his kind, selfless friends.

And Ren wonders, what would Akechi be doing that night? Would he be seeing anyone? He really barely knew him, but he couldn’t help thinking back to this morning and last night. Akechi hadn’t said he was with anyone the few times they hung out, nor did he say he was dating someone either. None of his social media said anything about his girlfriend, he of all people would know of course.

But none of his social media or his interviews mentioned him being into men either.

Even so, spending the night at someone’s house and taking care of them while they’re drunk doesn’t necessarily mean you’re dating. Neither does a morning kiss. At least, it wouldn’t mean they were exclusive to each other, right? For all he knew, Akechi could have multiple different lovers that he was just keeping secret.

...he wouldn’t come over for dinner again if it was just a one time fling tho, right?

“Yooooooo, dude! You just going to sit there?” Ryju shakes him by the shoulder, pulling him out of his daze, the train already coming to a stop. Ren apologizes, and the three of them are already piling out of the train and towards the school. “You guys wanna go shopping today after class? I still gotta pick out my present.”

“We can’t all be there at the same time, you idiot!” Ann whines, rolling her eyes “We’ll see what the others got.”

“Not if we all spit up!” Ryuji grins at her, poking her in the side as if he had won their little debate.

Ren laughs, loving the interactions between the two, and he wonders how long it would take for one of them to finally ask the other out. “Sorry, but I’ll have to pass. I need to pick up groceries before heading home.” This causes both Ann and Ryuji to give him questioning looks, what? Did he say something weird? Was it not a normal human thing to go grocery shopping?

“I thought you just ate curry every night dude…” Ryuji starts laughing again and slaps him on the back “I know I sure would, wouldn’t wanna be spending all my money when I don’t gotta!”

The party steps into the side alley next to the gate, and Ann reaches into her bag to pull out her concealer, beginning to rub it on Ren’s nose “Actually, I was going to be making nabe tonight. It is winter afterall.” Ann begins to blend the makeup into his skin then seems to notice the smaller bruise as well and starts working on that one.

Ryuji’s eyes seem to bulge out of his head at the mention of a hotpot, pumping his first in the air “Dude! You shoulda told us you were making hotpot. I’ll let everyone know, and we can meet at your place with shit that way you don’t gotta buy everything yourself too.” And before he can protest, Ryuji already has his phone out, texting the group chat.

Immediately he feels his phone buzzing away in his pocket.

It’s too late now.

-

**_Ryuji: WHOEVER’S IN THE AREA_ **

**_Ryuji: HOTPOT AT LEBLANC TONIGHT_ **

**_Ryuji: REPLY BACK WHAT Y’ALL BRINGING_ **

**_Yusuke: bean sprouts_ **

**_Futaba: Sojiro has miso, carrots, and leeks we can use he said_ **

**_Ryuji: sick man, I’ll bring the mushrooms_ **

**_Ren: SHOULDN’T YOU ALL BE IN CLASS_ **

**_Ren:...I’ll be supplying the pork I guess…_ **

**_Ren: please...behave yourselves tonight...I’m begging you_ **

\--

Ann finally pulls away from his face, “Perfect! No one would ever have guessed you were out all night brawling now,” she teases. Next, Ryuji is pushing the spare uniform into his hands and both he and Ann form a human shield as Ren changes into it in record time. Lucky for them, he guesses, it’s only finals for the rest of the day and he didn’t actually need his bag. He gives his clothes back to Ryuji who holds onto them and Ann lends him a pencil for the tests.

And yet again, he was cursed. Hopefully Akechi would understand, right?

Ren pulls out his phone to send him a direct message, warning Akechi that his friends would be joining in on their, private, dinner. Maybe he’d rather reschedule? As he pulls up Akechi’s direct messages, he swears that some malevolent being out there must really hate him.

1% battery left. Damn it Ryuji.

He types as fast as he can, however, just as Ren goes to hit that damn enter button. Of course his phone dies. f u c k. And in the distance, the first bell rings and everyone begins rushing into their classrooms.

* * *

  
  


Akechi thinks about Ren all day.

He didn’t mean to, it just happened.

He thinks about how warm it felt waking up next to him. He thinks about how kindly he treated him the night before. He thinks about how nice and soft his lips had been against his. And he thinks about that annoying girl at the train station. Who the Hell was she? Akechi vaguely remembered her from the interview he had the previous week, she had been with Ren. And she had been one of the two people pulling him back to the bus as well.

Who was she to Ren?

And why did it bother him? Why did it bother him who Ren’s friends were? Why did it bother him so much the way she put her arms around him? How would she feel if she knew how Ren had held him last night, if she knew how he kissed him this morning?

Akechi looks back down at the files Sae had left on his desk. Apparently she had already looked over the information, and she wanted his opinion on the case. They were all related, or suspected to be related, to the Red-Light case. Apparently the perp was good, never leaving much behind and each incident barely having enough information to make a file out of. He flips through them, ready to leave for the day and tired from having to come straight to the office right after finishing his last final for the semester. Hopefully he could get through these fast then head to Leblanc in time for food.

The thought makes him grumble, kicking the inside of his desk. Stupid Ren.

===

###  _**Minako Yamane** _

_DOB: 2/28/1998_

_DOD: Friday 8/28/2020_

_Age: 22_

_Cause of death: Asphyxiation_

_Victim was found at 5:39am on 7/18 by a businessman leaving a near-by hotel in Shibuya. The witness stated he had stayed the night at the hotel and had seen the women, but no one had been with her at the time. He stated to have no connection to her and did not witness any other suspects with her during his stay._

  
  


_Hotel staff were questioned, however stated the women never checked into the hotel and they did not have any information as to who she was, although she was seen briefly at the hotel's buffet. Officers requested video footage from the night the victim was killed, however Hotel Manager Ryo Tsuchiya stated that there was no surveillance footage from the evening due to a system update that rendered the cameras offline during the hours of 1pm July 18th to 12pm on July 19th._

_No other witnesses have come forward at this time._

###  _**Mizuki Seki** _

_DOB: 10/24/1997_

_Date of incident: Friday 12/04/2020_

_Age: 22_

_The victim states to have been leaving the Shinjuku area when a man ranging from 30-50 approached her stating he would be able to offer her a job if she were to come to him. The job would be for one night, however details of the job would not be discussed until accepted. The victim refused the offer, indicating the man hinted at sexual intentions, and ran through several back alleys before being cornered at the exit. The victim suffered several blows to the legs and ribs, however, before serious injury could be inflected, the owner of the nearby Crossroads Bar, Lala Escargot, called out to the victim who quickly fled inside._

_The victim was called in for questioning, however was unable to identify any suspects in a lineup of 48 potential suspects._

  
  
  


###  _**Keiko Yoshioka** _

_DOB: 1/21/1996_

_DOD: Friday 1/31/2020_

_Age: 24_

_Cause of death: severed spinal cord_

_Victim was found at 6:54 am on 2/1/20 washed up on Miura Beach in Miura Kanagawa. A jogger on an early morning run reported the body and police began their investigation. An autopsy reported that the victim had several bruises on the wrists, hips, and throat. It also reported that the leading cause of death was due to blunt force that broke one rib and severed the spinal cord, bruising the entire back. Although the body was not found in the red-light district such as the other victims had been, the victim was last seen alive leaving her shift at 1am from a maid service, Victoria’s, in Shinjuku._

_Owner of the establishment Ken Okura stated that the victim tended to her last customer at 11pm and returned to the establishment shortly before 1am. He states he did not question the victim on their wearbouts as it was not common to do so and does not have a record of who any of the previous clients were. Okura however did state that the victim typically used her bike to get home, however both the bike and the victim were escorted away from Victoria’s in a black Benz._

_The victim's bike has not been located._

###  _**Emiko Ogata** _

_DOB: 10/26/97_

_DOD: Wednesday 12/16/2020_

_Age: 23_

_Cause of death: internal bleeding due to blunt trauma_

_The victim was found at 8:29am by a waste management professional collecting trash in the area, the body being found in a dumpster behind the movie theater on central street. Not much is known about the victim at this time due to investigators being unable to locate any potential witnesses and no footage of the victim was found prior to their death. The body of the victim was identified by close friends and family who later confirmed that the victim left home around 8:30pm December 16th to meet up with a friend at the Shibuya 705 department store in the station square. The victim’s friend however states they waited for their friend, however never showed up._

===

The last one, he had to go digging for himself. He knew it was connected somehow, even if the previous detectives thought otherwise. He didn’t dare ask Sae about this one though, fearing that bringing it up might make her reconsider his involvement with the case. Instead,he kept it locked in the back of his desk, knowing that no one would be digging this one up anytime soon. Akechi had already looked at it several times, he even had it memorised for Heaven’s sake. But, reading it always seemed to fuel him, give him reason to keep going with the investigation.

===

  
  


###  _**Ryoko Akechi** _

_DOB: 8/24/82_

_DOD: Saturday 12/24/2005_

_Age: 23_

_Cause of Death: suicide_

_The victim was found at 12:43am after police were called to a local bathhouse in the area where the victim's son, who remains unnamed in the report due to his age, had been waiting after the baths closed for the evening. Owner of the establishment Daichi Asai states that it was not uncommon for the young boy to show up several times during the week and await the victim to pick him up. Asai states that the victim sometimes arrived after closing, however when they did not arrive after some time, offered to walk the son home. After several minutes and attempts to knock on the door, Asai contacted the police._

_No forced entry was found and nothing appeared to be stolen or damaged. Police concluded that no foul play was involved and the child was placed into foster care as his father was unable to be located._

===

When he’s finished, he locks his notes along with Ryoko Akechi’s file back into his desk and returns the case files back to Sae. She accepts them back, then sighs as she looks over his now tired appearance “Akechi, I want to apologise for the other night. You’ve been working diligently, and I’ve been a bit hard on you. I think you should enjoy your break, be a normal college student for once.” 

“No, I want to help solve this case.” Was she trying to take him off the case? Seriously? After everything he helped do for them? 

“Akechi, please. Why would I do that?” Sae shakes her head, also clearing off her desk and locking away her files for the night “ Work, and on top of school no less, you must be tired. I’m saying as your mentor, you need a break from time to time. Okay? There isn’t anyone I know that could handle this case better than you.” She walks around her desk and places a hand on his shoulder “How about I treat you to sushi tonight? I promise it won’t be conveyor belt this time.” 

  
  


Oh. 

Oh….

Maybe he did need a break. Lately, he knew he could be a bit high strung, quick to anger even. Probably seeming to others like he was one person then someone completely different the next. It feels as if any small inconvenience in his life was enough to make him snap, want to run away and hide from the world and everyone in it.

Maybe a nap would do him good.

Maybe a nap snuggled up to Ren would do him good.

Goddamnit not that boy again.

“Thank you but I must decline. I already have dinner plans tonight actually. But I will hold you to that offer at a later date, perhaps when you make a student stay late again.” He grins, knowing she wouldn’t be able to take back that offer now that she had said it. It simply wasn’t like her. After she does in fact agree, she escorts Akechi out of the office and offers him a ride home, to which he instead asks if she could merely drop him off at the train station.

It’s slightly past seven when he finally arrives at Leblanc and he’s met by Sojiro locking up for the night. “Sorry, we’re closed.”

“Ren said I could stop by tonight, if that’s okay that is?” Did the dumbass forget to tell his guardian that he was expecting company? 

A realization must have come over Sojiro as he unlocks the door, “Oh, you must be here for the hotpot party. Go on up.”

He enters, thanking Sojiro who merely says his goodnight and closes the door behind him, locking up. Akechi would barely call two people sharing nabe a ‘hotpot party’ or whatever. But, as he makes his way towards that damn attic does he hear, voices? Multiple voices? What the fuck? He takes a hesitant step, the floorboard creaking under his foot. Then, silence.

“...dude I thought Boss left?” Ryuji.

“Maybe it’s a customer?” The girl from the station.

“Whoever you are, show yourself!” Futaba.

“Guys, calm down. I told you we were expecting one more, remember?” And the last voice, he could tell that one was Ren. But, were all his friends here? Did he invite them all to show off how he knew Goro Akechi? What a stupid fucking fanboy. Instead of climbing the stairs, he instead turns on his heel and starts for the front door. What was he even thinking, coming here? It was stupid, all very stupid. Ren was stupid and he absolutely…

Then there is the creaking of the floorboards again just as his hand reaches the lock on the door. Footsteps rushing towards him. A hand on his, pulling it off the lock. Ren's voice in his ear “Are you leaving?” But he doesn’t answer. He doesn’t look at Ren. He just stares at that damn door in front of him, burring holes into it with every passing second with his gaze. 

Upstairs, everyone is still quiet, he notices. Not a creak, not a single peep. 

“Why did you invite me here tonight?” he finally replies.

“You wanted nabe, remember? And I promised to feed you.” Ren’s hand tightens around his and he feels his entire body relax for some reason. “My friends found out about it, but I didn’t tell them you’re the one we were waiting on. They really didn’t know you were coming.” And for some reason, he wants to believe Ren. He wants to believe that he isn’t lying, that someone would tell him the truth. 

But humans still suck. And they still lie.

Akechi frees his hand and unlocks the door “Please, just enjoy your party without me. It’s fine.” This is ridiculous. He was being ridiculous. But in his heart he doesn’t feel like there should be any other way, because even if Ren wasn’t lying to him, even if Ren’s friends truly did come without the knowledge that was celebrity would be showing up, what reason did he truly have for staying? He was an imposer, someone who didn’t belong in that group of strangers anyway, someone who’s best trait was pretending he was someone he really was’t. 

He tries to take a step outside and is surprised when Ren allows him to open the door, slipping outside. Akechi feels his heart sink, and something stings at his eyes. Fuck Ren, because if he was so willing to just let him leave that easily, if he wasn’t willing to even put up a fight to keep him from storming out then why should Akechi care?

“Let’s go for a walk, Akechi” His head snaps back, staring at Ren who’s staring back just as intensely at him. All around them, the shop is still silent, as if those upstairs were waiting on bated breath. Akechi steps outside, and Ren takes his hand as they walk in silence through the backstreets.

The cool air does feel nice on his face though, he hadn’t even realised how heated he had started to become. Looking around, they seem to be the only ones out right now and Akechi interlocks their fingers, but doesn’t quite look at Ren yet. Together they walk in a circle, first towards an old movie theater, then pass a house marked ‘Sakura’ which Ren points out is where Sojiro and Futaba live, then down the small street onto the sidewalk. 

They walk in near silence, Ren’s small commentary on the little things grounding him, relaxing him, and he feels himself grip his hand even tighter than before. Although he never says a word, Ren keeps talking about this, and that. Talking about the old theater he had gone with Yusuke to watch cheap movies, how he went shopping for the pork at the little shop they passed, or how sometimes he would stop at Futaba’s house with Ryuji and play video games on her high speed computer.

And before he knows it, they’re back outside Leblanc and Ren’s looking at him again, was he expecting Akechi to say something? What did he want? And with the rage from earlier now gone, he finally realises that the idiot hadn’t even brought a coat with him.

“You’re so stupid, do you know that?” Akechi grumbles as he pulls Ren inside “What were you thinking, you’re going to catch a cold if you go out like that again.”

“Then don’t let me go outside again. I’m impulsive, I need a babysitter,” he reaches towards Akechi, removing his scarf and hanging it off his arm “Won’t you stay?”

Upstairs, he can hear Ren’s friends again, now talking amongst themselves, although it’s mostly mumbled garbage. Nonetheless, Akechi takes a few steps forward without replying to Ren and ascends the stairs, this time not bothering to hesitate and when all eyes are on him. He smiles at them, donning his charming persona and taking note of everyone there. It was only Futaba, Ryuji, Yusuke, and the girl from the station.

Behind him, Ren comes up the stairs “Sorry guys, Akechi dropped his phone outside and we went to look for it.” 

Akechi looks around, there is a table sat next to a couch with several of Leblanc’s chairs surrounding it and the nabe sitting atop a small burner. The couch is empty, and Akechi notices Ren’s cat sleeping sounding in one of it’s corners. “No worries! We put the pork in when ya left, so it should be ready by now, come join us you two, hurry up I'm starving!” Ryuji whines, and beside him Ann gabs him hard in his side, whispering something unintelligible.

None of Ren's friends question him, but they immediately welcome him as if they were all long time friends. He’s led over to the couch and sits beside Ren who then passes him a bowl. The nabe smells amazing, and his stomach growls impatiently, only overshadowed by that damned warm feeling he keeps getting whenever Ren does something utterly stupid and cute. Ryuji is the first to stir the pot, staring deeply into itt, probably trying to figure out which bits to grab, when he’s suddenly gabbed in the side again by Ann, saying he was being rude. Then, one by one they all fill their bowls, and with a chorus of ‘let’s eat’ everyone digs in.

Under the table, Ren reaches over and takes his hand once more, gently rubbing his thumb over Akechi’s palm with the cover of the table. This seems like it’s going to be a constant thing now, he assumes. Akechi let’s him, and despite the chilly atmosphere outside, he couldn’t feel more warm. And when he looks back at the stupid asshole who brought him into this whole situation, he can’t help but laugh when he notices how the steam has fogged up his glass, and when the others notice as well, the join in too.

\---

But when all was said and done...and everyone was done eating...it had to be Yusuke who opened his mouth next.

“Akechi, will you be joining us for the Christmas party on Thursday?”

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to everyone who's been supporting this fic <3 
> 
> Please stay safe and strong during these times


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akechi has a flashback
> 
> The gang ships ShuAke
> 
> Ren realises that Akechi is in need of a lot of healing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta Read
> 
> warnings for mentions of death and slight descriptions of death/suicide

  
  


**_Friday, December 23rd 8:00pm_ **

_ He’s running around the room. _

_ Boom! _

_ Pow! _

_ Wham! _

_ Little Goro Akechi is standing in front of the TV now, mimicking kicks and punches from his favorite Featherman characters as the cheesy opening theme plays and he sings along. Behind him, his mother sits on the couch and cheers him on “Go go Goro-man!” she sings and he does a turn, pretending to pow pow her, then the table, followed by their small Christmas tree in the corner. _

_ “Mama! I wanna be like Black Condor!” He runs and climbs into her lap to watch the show together. This was their time, his mother always said that it would be their time together, no work was allowed. That was her promise to him. He always trusted her, even if she didn’t always keep her word “and I promise to always protect you from the bad guys!” He falls into her lap as he always did, his head resting on her thigh as she combs her fingers through his hair.  _

_ This was his safe spot, the place that he was always the happiest, with her, together, and watching Featherman. Friday nights were supposed to be special though, because that’s when new episodes came on and his mother would let him stay up later than normal. And this week, he is extra excited because there is a new episode playing today then the once a year Christmas special would play tomorrow, how awesome was that? But then, her hand is gone and she’s reaching for her cellphone. _

_ Goro watches her, frowning. She promised this would be their time, this wasn’t allowed. _

_ “Hello?” she answers, and her eyes are sad and she’s not smiling anymore. She sighs deeply, followed by lots of ‘mmhmm’ and ‘I understand.’ Goro is no longer paying attention to Featherman, instead watching her, hurt and betrayed. He knows what’s next. “Okay, I’ll be ready soon.” She disconnects the call then looks back down at her son. _

_ Goro stands, fists balled at his sides, “You can’t go.”  _

_ She leans down and kisses his forehead “I’m sorry sweetie, but it’s important, okay?” _

_ “But Mama you promised you’d watch it with me!” Goro stops his feet and crosses his arms. He’s angry, upset, enraged, so many emotions that he doesn’t quite understand, and they’re all flowing through him. She promised him that work would never come between their special time. It doesn’t surprise him that she breaks her promise though, he is used to it by now, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less. _

_ “I’m sorry Goro, but Mama has to work tonight, it’s important. I promise, we’ll watch next week’s together, okay?” She smiles down at him, picking him up underneath his arms and swinging him into the air. “Will you be a good boy while Mama’s working?” She kisses all over his face like always when she would break her promises. And despite it all, he just wanted her to be there, even when he knew she’d break her promise again, he always agreed to what she said, because he still loved her. _

_ No matter how many times he would protest, she always won in the end. Because she’s the adult, she makes the rules, but he would always be there to love her all the same. _

_ “I will!” He’s not happy about it, but he smiles away because there was nothing else to do. Protesting never works, but maybe if he was good, she really would watch next week’s episode with him. Maybe even tomorrow’s too if he was lucky. _

_ His mother places him back down and pulls out her wallet, handing him a few hundred yen, “I’ll see you later tonight at the bathhouse, okay? I’ll be there to pick you up soon. Don’t forget! Santa will bring you a present tonight if you’re good.” She winks at him, smiling kindly at him and he’s overjoyed. _

_ “Really? Do you think he’ll really come?” They had written his letter to Santa together only a few weeks ago. It was still hard for him to write some things, but he was getting better. She knew all the words he didn’t know how to write though, and she was able to take it to the mailmen who would deliver it. His previous frustration was all but gone and replaced with excitement. _

_ She’s already preparing for work as he stares up at her with big, excited eyes, nearly bouncing, “He sure will! But only if you behave and head down to the bathhouse. What was it you wanted again?” She taps her chin, thinking as her son begins running toward the door, putting on his shoes. _

_ “A ray gun! The one Black Condor uses!” he yells over his shoulder. With the second shoe on he stands at the door, waving her off “Bye Mama! I’ll wait for you there.” _

_ “I’ll see you soon, my little Ally of Justice!” She waves back, the door shuts behind him and he all but runs towards the bathhouse. It was late, sure, but it was also close and the owner would always take care of him anyway! _

_ Goro rounds a corner, and slams face first into another person, landing straight on his butt “Sorry sir!” when he looks back, he sees nothing but the cold, angry stare of an older man. It’s frightening, scary, and he goes to stand up but he's kicked hard in the ribs. _

_ “Filthy child, you’re lucky I’m in a hurry tonight,” he says and kicks him a second time, a bit harder now before walking off, not caring to look back. And Goro sits there, watching him for a moment as he walks in the direction of him home and his body aching. _

_ Sad, because even so young, he was able to put two and two together. It was obvious who this man was as he turned into his apartment building and walked up the stairs directly to his unit. From his spot, he can barely make out his mother opening the door to let him in, and once they’re both out of sight, he turns, walking head down towards the bathhouse. It wasn’t fair, his mother didn’t deserve this, she’s a good mom that never did anything wrong other than break her promises. But even then, he was never upset with her. _

_ A few times he tried previously to ask her details about her job, why she always worked at night while the other kids’ parents worked during the day. But, he always knew she was lying when she told him things such as ‘a model that does night shoots’ or ‘massage therapist.’ Goro already knew what those jobs were, and no one worked jobs that like at night. What he couldn’t understand fully was what she was really doing with all those late night customers and why they always had to come to his home. _

_ Goro soaks in the bath longer than normal that night, not because he wasn’t paying attention to the time, but because even though it was nearing closing, his mother still hasn't come for him. Normally, he would wait, and it would be Mr. Asai who would tell him when she arrived to meet him.This time, when Mr. Asai enters the bath, it’s to tell him they were closing up for the night and he could wait for his mother in their lobby. This was normal too sometimes. Ocusannly his mother’s appointments ran later than expected, but she was always sure to meet him within minutes of the bathhouse closing. _

_ When he looks up at the clock, it’s already 15 minutes past twelve and he kicks his feet against the lobby chair, tired, a bit hungry, and starting to get cranky. Mr. Asia then comes around the counter and squats down so he is eye-level with Goro “Hey kid, why don’t I walk you home? Maybe your mom fell asleep, we could go wake her up.” Goro hadn’t thought of that, she was always tired after working and she did tend to fall asleep shortly after picking him up.  _

_ “Okay,” he responds. _

_ They’re at the Akechi residence within a few minutes and Mr. Asai knocks at the door, and when his mother doesn’t answer, he knocks again a bit louder. A whole minute passes and Mr. Asai seems nervous as he knocks one last time, harder than before and this time calling her name “Ryoko! Ryoko Akechi, are you in there?” and with no answer, he twists the door handle, and to his surprise, it’s not locked. Goro goes to push the door open, but Mr. Asai’s grip on his small hand tightens and he stops, trying to pull it away. The older man is peering into the room, then quickly closes it, “No Goro, you can’t go inside right now.” His voice is panicked, frightened. _

_ And he starts leading him back to the bathhouse, but Goro protests, trying to pry his hand off “No! I wanna go home. Mama said I have to be in before before Santa stops at our house and I can’t do that if we go back!” But Mr. Asai tugs on his arm harder, telling him again that he can’t go home right now. It’s nearly painful and Mr. Asai’s grip on his hand is hurting him, why wouldn’t he let go? _

_ Goro refuses to listen. His mom is waiting for him at home, she’s waiting for him to come back and go to bed. He manages to slip out of Mr. Asai’s grip and makes a dash for his home, grabbing the door handle and twisting it open, only to stop, and stare. His excitement from before, gone, and only anguish replaces it. He’s screaming, he knows he is. But he can’t hear anything. He can’t hear Mr. Asai running up behind him, he can’t hear his frantic neighbors gathering outside. All he can do his scream as he sees her, body suspected from the ceiling, limp. _

_ Goro’s heard of this before, seen it in scary movies when his mother was sleeping. But those weren’t real. Those were just stories and scary things like that don’t happen in real life.  _

_ His chest is burning, but he can’t stop screaming even when the elderly woman next door pulls him into her arms and his face is buried into his chest. Mr. Asai is nowhere, but he would later find out he had returned to the bathhouse to contact the police. The small apartment is destroyed. Their TV, smashed and laying on the floor, and the coffee table is upturned and it’s glass smashed and bloody.The Christmas tree, once sitting on a side table, now tossed into the kitchen. Goro doesn’t have the strength to push the woman away from him, instead letting her hold him, telling him everything would be okay. _

_ But it’s another lie. All the adults do is lie. _

_ The police arrived eventually, but Goro wouldn’t speak, couldn’t speak. Paramedics that came to the scene said that he was in shock, and it may take some time for him to come to terms with what had happened. Most of what happened next seemed to have happened in a blur. Cops asking him questions, being taken to a police station, missing Christmas.  _

_ This sure was a way to find out that Santa wasn’t real, wasn’t it? Why? Why bother lying about something so mundane? Did adults think children were so stupid they’d never figure it out? _

_ But a few days after the event took place, a social worker accompanied him to the apartment to gather any necessities he might need. They told him they couldn’t find information on his father, and that they would look for a new home for him. It didn’t matter though, he thought, no where would be good enough. No where would compare to the warmth of his mother’s laugh, her hugs, nothing,. There wasn’t any point. _

_ Broken hearted, he couldn’t find the strength to speak with anyone. They took him home, even though he could barely call it that anymore\\.Goro walks around the apartment, they were kind enough to give him a single suitcase, saying that he could take whatever he could fit in it. He stops in the room he and his mother shared, her only making enough money to afford the small one bedroom apartment. _

_ The social worker helps him back up some clothes, asking if he wants to bring any toys. He doesn’t have many, and the ones he did have were mostly broken anyway. But he doesn’t say that, and instead focuses on grabbing a few more shirts and pants from his closet. Then, something inside catches his eye. For the few days leading up to the incident, his mother had been telling him he wasn’t allowed in here.  _

_ Now he knew why. _

_ Inside, there is a box with his name nearly written on the side. His Christmas present, the one his mother had said ‘Santa’ would bring if he was good. Goro’s hands tremble, and he wants to cry. He wants to enjoy opening it with her, but she’s gone now. With a sniffle, he opens the wrapping. Then, the crying, the sobbing, it all comes back in a wave. It was the limited-edition Black Condor Ray Gun, the one he had been talking about since the Featherman Special Lost Episode aired months ago. The one he begged his mother for, but they all sold out within only a few hours after their launch. _

_ He absolutely hates it. Goro hates what it represents, his weakness, his greed, his short-sightedness. He remembers begging his mother for it, saying how it was the only thing that could make him happy. The sad look in her eyes, the caring smile she gave him when she pleaded, saying that they couldn’t afford such an expensive toy. How she even got him a generic ray gun toy from the 100 yen shop to try and cheer him up. He hates how he didn’t appreciate her then. No wonder his mother must have hated him. _

_ Goro throws it across the room, not caring where it lands and storms out of the room, suitcase in hand. There is nothing left in the house for him, nothing he wanted ever again. He couldn’t talk, he wouldn’t talk to anyone about this. Not for a long time, if ever. The social worker appears next to him, asking questions but still not getting any answers. Five days. It has been five days since the last time he spoke anyway. Goro doesn’t know how long it’ll be because he decides to, but all that he knows right now, in this moment is that life is cruel. Life is unfair. _

* * *

Akechi stares at Yusuke.

Everyone stares at Yusuke.

But Yusuke doesn’t seem to see any problems and merely asks his question again, probably thinking he hadn't been heard the first time “ Did you wish to join us for our Christmas party on Thursday?” Akechi can’t help but wonder what this absolute fool’s plan was in inviting him. Why would he care if Akechi showed up? As far as he was aware, this was only their second time meeting, it wasn’t as if they were friends or anything.

“Ah, I wouldn’t want to impose thought. I’m sure everyone’s significant other wouldn’t really want a complete stranger hanging around afterall.” He finally replies.

Then it’s Ryuji who speaks up next, laughing, seeming to break the tension and everyone, excluding Yusuke, relaxes “Nah man. We’re all single, except our friend Haru. But she’s nice, she won’t care if you show up and all.” 

“Yeah! Haru’s really nice Akechi. I think you’d actually make her sad if you didn’t show up now! She’d be disappointed she didn’t get to meet the newest addition to our group.” Ann says and winks at him. What was that supposed to mean? Part of their group? He had never previously been part of anyone’s group, and he’s wondering in that moment how such a thing even happened.

As he wonders it, the people around him begin packing up and preparing to leave for the night. Yusuke is thanking Ren for the food and it seems in return Ren is offering him leftover curry from the day to take home. Did Ren just feed everyone? Was that a thing that just gets him off or something? As the two disappear down the stairs with Ryuji and Ann in tow, Akechi notices that Futaba is still at his side, now curiously staring him over.

Her presence is rather...close. She’s looking him over, from his shoes to his hair, then a complete 360. Wordless and creepy, Akechi wonders if he should tell her to back off when she finally opens her mouth “You certainly look a lot more tired in person, but still really cute. It’s not fair! I can totally see why Ren likes you so much though. You’re like the broody side character with a sad backstory everyone loves.” What the Hell was this girl’s problem? Akechi feels his face scrunch, he wants to say something rude to her, but refrains. However, this seems to just make her more excited “See! Just like that. Ren was right. If you’d be a Featherman, you’d totally be Black!” 

“Excuse me?” Did Ren tell their group he would be Black Condor, out of all the feathermen? 

“Okay so, we were totally having this discussion a few weeks ago, right? And Ren was like ‘If Goro Akechi was a Featherman, would he be Blue or Black?’ And I said you’d be more like Red and he got REALLY offended and said that he already called dips on Red and said that you’d totally be black. Buuut that’s probably because he ships them like hardcore.” Akechi listens to her ramble on and on, wondering if she ever stops talking. But, to his surprise, she actually stops. “Well, I gotta get home. This massive patch for my MMO is about to drop tonight and I wanna be able to hop right in when it does. See ya!” She waves him off, then runs down the stairs to join the others.

Akechi feels lost for some reason. He can hear the others below him, talking amongst themselves and feels out of place. These are Ren’s friends, not his. He didn’t belong here. For the most part, everyone had taken on roles to clean up after dinner. Putting away leftovers, moving the extra chairs back downstairs, and making sure the dishes got washed. But what did he do? He just sat around and watched everyone do all the work. They all seemed familiar with their expected roles, as if they had done this a thousand times before. 

Ann’s words ring in his head again, saying that he was part of their group. But why? None of them knew him, Ren didn’t even know him. So why would she say such a thing? What gave her the impression he even wanted to be part of this little group? Akechi hadn’t even given them a straight answer on if he was going to be joining them for their shitty little party on Thursday. Then, he remembers that night again. The one he always tries to push out of his head whenever it comes up.

He takes a seat at the edge of Ren bed, looking down at his knees and doing his best to hold himself together. Now isn’t the time to be thinking of the past, what if someone were to come back up? What if they were to see him being weak? It isn’t allowed. Akechi takes a few, steady breaths as he tries to relax and push the memory aside. He’s not sure how many minutes pass as he attempts to suppress the thoughts swimming in his head. But of course, he couldn’t be in peace as Ren decided that would be the perfect time to join up with him again.

The damn brat sits beside him on the bed, wordlessly putting his hand over top Akeci’s knee and leaning against his shoulder. Akechi barely realizes his body is trembling, barely aware of the hot tears streaming down his face, or Ren’s quiet whispers in his ear telling him that it’s okay to cry if he needs to. What does he know anyway? What does he know about the feelings swelling inside of him? Akechi wants to push Ren away, screaming at him that he doesn’t understand, can’t possibly understand what he’s feeling at that moment. Because in reality, Akechi isn’t sure himself.

But he doesn’t. Instead, Akechi finds himself leaning back against him, hearing Ren’s voice telling him that everyone’s gone home already, it’s just the two of them. And just like that, it’s as if someone opened the floodgates and Akechi is covering his face with his hands, and he’s crying. Eyes clenched shut but tears still manage to slip past. The knowledge of him and Ren being alone together is enough to finally break him. 

He’s loud, nearly screaming as his entire body shakes and old memories come to the surface once more. Unable to hold back any longer, Akechi let’s loose all the feelings, emotions, and insecurities built over countless years of suppression. Everything he’s never wanted anyone to know about him, all the things that didn’t make him perfect break free. It’s ugly, gross, and he can feel snot starting to drip down his chin. His stomach hurts and boils with anxiety. His lungs hurt as he keeps wailing, but the pain doesn’t stop. 

His ear’s ring, and Akechi can hear his mother whispering to him that he’s an abomination. That his entire existence was a curse, a plague to her. Ryoko’s voice rings over and over and over again those words, and he tires to cover his ears, but his arms won't move. They’re pinned at his sides and his eyes refuse to open.

Her voice whispers in his ear how she never loved him. How she only put up with him because she had to. How no one would ever love him because everyone only tolerated his existence. He wants to beg her to stop, but the words won’t come out, they refuse, but her voice keeps going. Ryoko tells him again, and again how he’s an unwanted child. His father left because he hated them. She left because she hated her own son. 

The room is dark, swirling, and Akechi can barely tell which is up and which is down. Then, something is wrapping around him, grounding him, pulling him back. He forces his eyes open, and Ryoko is gone, replaced instead by two big, worried grey eyes looking down at him. Two eyes full of confusion, sadness, worry. Ren’s lips move, quiver even as he’s speaking, but the world around him is silent as he stares.

Ren’s shaking him, and Akechi blinks. “What’s wrong?” Ren’s voice is more panicked, scared then it was before. It’s like that cold winter night all over again, Akechi finds himself unable to speak, unable to make any noise, and instead wraps his arms around the boy in front of him, burying his face into his chest. His body still trembles, but he can feel himself calming down when Ren tightens his hold on him and hands are gently running through his hair. “Hey...you’ve got snot all over my new shirt.” Ren’s voice is light, teasing, but there's still a hint of worry.

Akechi sniffles a few times, but doesn’t pull back, keeping his face hidden within Ren’s chest “You know,” Ren begins again “my therapist would probably point out that something probably triggered you, and that you should avoid that thing. Do you know what it was?” Akechi doesn't respond for a moment, letting Ren’s soft touches lull him. “Okay, you don’t have to tell me right now, but maybe if we talk about it later, we can make sure we avoid that, okay?” The hands are now running up and down and around the nape of his neck. Akechi wants to lash out at him, to tell him to stop touching him, but it feels nice. And he tired of denying himself these little pleasures.

“Akechi, do you want to stay here tonight?” Ren asks, his hands now finding their way to his face, drawing small circles along his cheeks then gently stroking the tips of his ears. Ren waits a moment, but when he receives no response he speaks again “Okay, you don’t have to speak to me. But how about one tap for no and two taps for yes.” Akechi hesitates, but then taps his fingers twice against the other’s back. Ren doesn’t make any movement, and Akechi realises he’s letting him make the next move. Both stay still for what feels like an eternity, with only the soft occasional sob from Akechi, sudden rapid breathing like he might start crying again. But each time, Ren holds him a little lighter, whispering that he’s right there if Akechi needed to let go again.

In the end, he’s not sure how long they stayed like that, but Akechi realised that Ren really is in this for the long game. He doesn’t force Akechi to try and talk, to try and share his feelings. To revisit memories he wants to keep pushed down. No, he’s letting him set the pace, and Akechi finds it harder and harder to believe that Ren Amamiya is truly a real Goddamn person. A real person that listens to him, but doesn’t force him to overshare his problems. A real person that instead of pushing him away, keeps holding him close and letting him vent his pent up anguish. 

Akechi wants to tell him, tell Ren everything that’s on his mind. The years of pretending he’s someone he’s not, how lonely it is not having anything to live for, how he just wants someone to notice him. However, each time he tries to open his mouth, nothing comes out except shaky breaths and soft sobs. He can't’ find the words and decides to give up. He wasn't being forced to speak anyway, and he was going to just let Ren hold him, at least a little bit longer.

“Your finals are over, right? Mine too, so we don’t have to worry about class tomorrow.” He feels Ren try to pull back, but he wraps his arms around his waist, pulling him closer and Ren sits still instead “I just have work tomorrow night, but that’s it. Why don’t we grab breakfast, or maybe some lunch tomorrow? Would you like that?” One tap. Two taps. Then he hears a chuckle from Ren “Okay, great. We’ll figure out where in the morning. Let’s get ready for bed.” 

Akechi lets go finally and he looks up at Ren for the first time since he began crying, only to see his eyes are also a dark red, holding back tears. Yet, despite the tears, he’s smiling, ear to ear and stands up. But why? Why is Ren crying with him? “I have some spare clothes I can lend you. C’mon.” None of this made any sense to him.

Ren walks over to the spot where he keeps his night clothes, and pulls out two sets before coming back. They’re about the same size Akechi realises once he’s dressed in Ren’s clothes. They’re both wearing what seem to be a very similar outfit, black long sleeved shirt with sweats. “Do you simply just wear the same damn outfit every night? You need some variety in your life, Amamiya,” Akechi grumbles as he crawls back into the bed, his voice is low, and he briefly wonders if Ren was even able to to hear his pitiful voice, shaking as though he had all but forgotten how to speak.

“When there's a sale, you tend to stock up.” He crawls in beside Akechi who turns and gives him a sour look “...or I could sleep on the couch if you prefer?” Ren goes to get back up, but Akechi grabs him back his elbow, gently pulling him closer.

He finds himself sighing, but he does his best to be polite. It’s not that he wanted to be mean, he just wasn’t very good at expressing himself. And, he has a rather embarrassing request he wanted to ask. Akechi feels his face flush as he does his best to maintain eye contact with Ren “I,” he pauses, takes a deep breath before going on “I want to hold you, like last time if that’s okay.” His voice is barely above a whisper, his lungs still burning and he finds it both physically and mentally difficult to say any words. However, Ren’s looking at him now, grinning fondly and turns so that his back is facing him.

Akechi feels his heart beat erratically within his chest as he proceeds to wrap one arm around the other’s torso then rests his face against Ren’s back, his other arm laid above their heads. As he closes his eyes, he hears Ren whisper a quick ‘good night, honey’ and Akechi responds back by nudging him in the ass with his knee. Ren whines slightly, but doesn’t protest and shifts slightly so he’s pressed firmly against Akechi. This stupid boy is warm, and Akechi feels safe, at ease as he begins to drift off.

He wants to tell Ren everything. He wants to push Ren away again. And he can’t figure out which is the correct path. But for now, he decides to lay there with him, and attempts to get a good night’s sleep. 

* * *

“Yusuke, Boss has some leftover curry from today, would you like some?” Ren watches Akechi struggle to respond back to Ann’s question, and he makes the executive decision to get everyone to leave him alone for the time being. Yusuke’s question really seemed to throw him off before, though he was rather curious now if Akechi was interested in joining them. But, that would be a question for another time.

“Ah, yes. I would be delighted to take any leftovers you may have,” Yusuke responds as both he and Ryuji begin grabbing the spare Leblanc chairs and heading downstairs to put them back, followed shortly by Ann bringing the dishes down with her. Ren pulls out the curry pot from the fridge and begins packing leftover curry and rice for his friend “If you don’t mind my asking, has something happened between you and Akechi?”

Ren, Ryuji, and Ann all stop what they’re doing and Ren nearly drops the pot of curry on the floor as he tenses. Oh God, he knew the question would be coming eventually but he never really prepared for what to say. Him and Akechi weren’t really dating, right? He did kiss him this morning, but that didn’t really count as dating though. And they did share a bed last night, but still, he reminds himself, it doesn’t mean they’re dating. But all the damn touching and flirting, they were flirting right?

When he doesn’t answer right away, Ryuji nudges him in the ribs “Hey man, Morgana got your tongue or what?” Then Ann has to be the one that starts laughing, pointing out how red his face is, comparing it to a bottle of ketchup.

“Akechi and I aren’t dating. He stopped here a few days ago and we’ve just been chatting is all.” He shoves the curry into Yusuke’s hands a bit more forcefully than he really intends, just in time for Futaba to come prancing down the stairs. Great. What would she have to add to their lovely discussion now?

She skips all the way to the kitchen, and had she been a few inches taller, would be looking Ren directly in the eye, nose to nose. Futaba smirks, and it’s evil with pure malice dripping from that grin as her eyes pierce into his own “oh yeah? Then do you care to explain to our dear friends where you were all night yesterday? Or maybe why you didn’t come home?” She pokes him all over, nearly tickling him playfully as she does so.

All eyes are on him, and he knows it. Ann and Ryuji give each other questioning looks, then a light bulb seems to flicker above both their heads at the same time. His stomach sinks, and Ren wants to disappear into the floor as they both simultaneously converge onto him, Ann being the one that gets right in his face next, Futaba stepping aside to give her room “I remember now! You said Lala gave you the days around finals off so you wouldn’t have to worry about school and work!” Ann presses her finger against his nose, frowning “you weren’t at Crossroads last night, liar.” She emphasizes her point with a flick and he winces.

Ryuji laughs, full body leaning on the counter “Oh man, don’t tell me you and Akechi were getting it on all night or something. Is that where you got that bruise? I can’t believe your wildest dreams are coming true man. Damn!” Ren is one hundred and ten percent sure every single ounce of blood has rushed to his face. Critical Hit. Weak. He turns his back to his friends and falls to his knees dramatically, covering his face. Was there anything more embarrassing in the world than your friends assuming your and your crush got it on?

Que Ryuji laughing even harder now and slapping him on the back as he tries to recover, yet still hunched on the floor with his knees to his chest. “We didn’t sleep together guys!” Ren whines just loud enough for his friends to hear. He yelps when another slap from Ryuji nearly sends him falling right on his face “He had a bit much to drink so I walked him home, but I missed the train, okay? So I stayed at his place.” He stands back up, adjusting his glasses, but still refusing to look any of his friends in the eye.

“Then how did you get those bruises?” Ann quips. 

Ren sighs, then finally turns around to look at them “Nothing happened. I’m being honest. His keys got stuck in his pocket when we got to his apartment and I tried to help, but he accidentally punched me in the face when he got them unstuck.” And everyone starts laughing again. Ann saying he should have just told them the truth, Ryuji saying that was the ‘dumbest Ren-like shit’ he’s heard in a while, while Futaba and Yusuke muttered amongst themselves that Ren and Akechi were so totally dating. 

Pouting now, Ren starts herding them out of Leblanc with promises of meeting up in a few days for the party and that he’d text them all later. Yusuke points out that Akechi is still upstairs, just in time for Ren to push them all out and lock the door behind them. As he walks off, he can faintly hear Ryuji’s voice trying to ask if he was trying to stay the night with Akechi again.

What Ren is expecting to see when he walks back into the room is an annoyed Akechi who would probably ask what took so long or why his friends were expecting him to come to their party. What Ren isn’t expecting is to see Akechi sitting on his bed, head down, and trembling. He takes a seat beside him and places his hand on his knee and leans against him, asking if he’s okay, and when he doesn’t respond he looks over to see tears threatening to fall from Akechi’s eyes. “Hey,” with his free hand he rubs Akechi’s back “you’re okay, if you need to cry, I’m here for you. It’s okay.” Akechi shifts. He's laying against him now and Ren threads his fingers through Akechi’s hair “everyone gone, it’s just us here.” 

Akechi’s trembling increases and his grips tighten on Ren. He tries to make out the low mumbles Akechi says, but it’s mostly sobbing, his entire body slowly shaking more and more until he’s rocking the entire bed. Nails dig into his back as Akechi grips tighten, and he lets him cry, wondering what set him off so badly. 

Unable to figure out the cause, he knows he’ll have to ask the other about it at a later time to make sure to prevent it from coming up in the future. He doesn’t try to keep track of the time much as he let’s Akechi cry, but he’s vaguely aware that it couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes or so by the time the wailing has calmed down enough for Akechi to be able to take small breaths, slowly making his way up to bigger and calmer breaths. 

It’s painful watching him, wanting to know what’s causing Akechi so much pain. And as he thinks it over, he can’t help but think how alone he must feel. Locked away alone in his apartment every night, always studying for school, working, no free time. Not to mention always having to appear on TV and appear perfect at all times. He holds Akechi tighter, promising to himself that he would break down the wall preventing him from being a normal, young adult just trying to live his life. Promising himself that he would do his absolute best to make sure he didn’t suffer alone anymore.

Akechi’s looking up at him now, dark red eyes from crying, “What’s wrong?” he tires to ask it as calmly as he can, but it doesn’t quite come out the way he had thought it would. However, there is no response, and instead Akechi is burying his face into Ren’s shirt. Well, he would have to think of something else. It seems “Hey...you’ve got snot all over my new shirt.” he teases, and he can feel Akechi’s muscle ease up before he keeps going.

“You know, my therapist would probably point out that something probably triggered you, and that you should avoid that thing. Do you know what it was?” he waits for Akechi to respond, but when he doesn’t he keeps speaking, trying to think of everything Dr. Maruki had talked to him about in all their previous sessions together. “Okay, you don’t have to tell me right now, but maybe if we talk about it later, we can make sure we avoid that, okay?”

“Akechi, do you want to stay here tonight?” Ren asks, but again he’s met with silence as he drags his fingers across Akechi’s skin in soothing circles. Then, he’s reminded of a time when he had gotten a bit deeper with his counselor than he had really intended. Ren had been emotional, talking about how his parents had sent him away to Tokyo, how he was lonely, and even if he went back to his hometown, there weren’t any friends waiting for him there. Normally, their conversations only lasted the lunch hour, but he had rambled on so much that day that he didn’t even notice the lunch bell ring, and he even let his walls drop enough that Dr. Maruki had told him he wasn’t stable enough to go back to class just yet. Instead, informing his teacher via the nurse that he would keep him a little longer than expected.

Dr. Maruki had tried to get him to relax enough to talk, but Ren had been stiff, refusing to speak any more words, afraid of rambling on again and saying something he might regret. Instead of pushing him, Dr Maruki instead shifted to asking a series of ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions. Mostly simple questions, until Ren was calm enough and centered to be able to look him directly in the eyes again to finish their conversation. It was a simple way to get him to speak without having to actually speak, the doctor would ask him a question, and he would respond with one tap for no and two taps for yes. Maybe, he could get the same to work here?

“Okay, you don’t have to speak to me. But how about, one tap for no, and two taps for yes.” Akechi hesitates, but then taps his fingers twice against the other’s back. Ren doesn’t make any movement, and he wants Akechi to make the next move. Both stay still for what feels like an eternity, with only the soft occasional sob from Akechi, sudden rapid breathing like he might start crying again. But each time, Ren holds him a little lighter, whispering that he’s right there if Akechi needed to let go again.

Eventually, Akechi did speak to him again, even if it was just a quip about how all his night closes seemed to look the same, but hey he wasn’t here to judge. Then, Akechi is asking him, so very quietly, softly, if they can cuddle again as they had the night before and his heart swells at the thought, wanting nothing more than to go back to how they were last night. Akechi spoons him from behind, his grip this time not being so tight, but comfortable and light. And despite Akechi kicking him when he calls him ‘honey’ Ren feels comfortable in the older boy’s embrace.

Within minutes, he feels Akechi’s breath behind him even out, and he’s lightly snoring. Ren stares out in the darkness of his room, wondering what kind of person Akechi is underneath all the sadness and fake smiles. Underneath his cold, hard exterior that he puts up when he’s feeling threatened. Akechi is mysterious, but intriguing. Ren wants to learn more about him, learn more about this person who he thought he already knew everything about. But as he drifts away, Ren realises that everything he knew about Goro Akechi was a lie. And he’s excited to know the true boy behind the mask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! This one took be a bit longer than usual, sorry for the wait guys! Had some writer's block, followed by a small bit of depression between person issues and work. But I hope you were able to enjoy this chapter <3 
> 
> It's almost 2am, I edited as much as I could tonight, so hopefully I didn't miss much. Thank you again for reading this far!


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little bit heated in the morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags updated 
> 
> warnings for this chapter
> 
> just some teasing, fluff, and consensual dry humping
> 
> Not Beta read

There are things that Ren expects when he wakes up. First being that Morgana would be sleeping atop his chest, the weight comfortable, yet hard to breath. Second being that Sojiro almost always arrived at the shop before he woke up on his days off and he would be able to enjoy the fresh scent of coffee. However today, Morgana was not sleeping on top of him, in fact he was pushed up directly against his face to the point it was even harder to breath than normal. The next oddity was that it was still dark out, the sun barely having risen yet. But, the strangest thing of all in his hazy mind, was that there was something pressed up against him, moving and stirring him awake.

But in more ways than one he realises.

Ren reaches up and gently nudges Morgana from his face then feels the light pressure of Akechi's arm around his waist, the boy behind him moving and softly thrusting against his bottom. The movement is slow, lagged, but Ren can’t help the quiet moan that slips through his teeth when he pushes backwards, half asleep and feeling something hard and stiff meeting his ass, then feeling his lower half coil with heat. His mind is foggy, tired, and he tries to pull himself out of it, but goes along with the pleasant feeling building up within him.

The pace behind him never increases, nor does it decrease, simply staying at one speed as Ren moves his hips along with it, feeling himself drifting in and out of wakefulness, until an aching between his legs alerts him of what’s going on. Suddenly, he stops, shooting straight up, eyes wide, pulling Akechi up with him who had been holding on tight, and who Ren so gracefully pulled out of slumber as well. They sit on opposite ends of the bed, Akechi quickly regaining consciousness by the second.

Both boys look to one another, confused, tired, and to Ren’s horror, both extremely horny apparently. He feels a tightness in his pants, and from all his previous late-night play dates with his little friend, he knew it was on the verge of popping. Then, there is Akechi. Ren looks him over, eyes blown wide, obviously shocked, and quickly covering his face with his right hand while his left reaches for the blanket, pulling it over his lap. They’re both silent, and he wonders if Akechi feels just as embarrassed as he does.

Ren tries to think of anything but Akechi sitting two feet away from him with a raging boner. Akechi mumbles something under his hand, but Ren struggles to hear it, scooting a little closer. “I can’t hear you like that, you know.” He reaches his hand out and tenderly removes Akechi’s hand from his mouth, now realising the blush that travels all the way down his neck. 

  
  


“I said I was sorry” he mumbles again, looking away from Ren still and pressing his free hand into the blanket. “I didn’t think...when I asked you last night...it wasn’t my intention to…” 

”It’s fine, really. It was actually kinda cute” Ren winks at him, then gives Akechi the biggest puppy eyes he can muster up as he places a kiss to the top of his hand. “Do you..you know, do you want to finish?” Akechi’s head snaps back to look at him, mouth hanging open, and unable to speak.The look on Akechi’s face, frazzled first thing in the morning, unguarded with frizzy bedhead, why the Hell did he have to be so cute?

Akechi finally closes his mouth and sits up straight, looking almost composed. He’s trembling slightly, but who wouldn’t be when they woke up dry humping their not-boyfriend-but-more-than-a-friend? However, he begins to speak, voice smooth and collected “You think I want you? Please, I have standards, Amamiya.” 

Oh….oh. He wanted to play that game again.

There is a smirk gracing that damn perfect face now as he tilts his head to the side just ever so slightly, his hair brushing against his shoulder as he pushes Ren’s blanket away from his lap. Ren catches his burning stare, not breaking contact for a few seconds. He dares to let his eyes drift down Akechi’s body as the other leans back on his free hand and his shirt riding up ever so slightly exposing his stomach. Then, his eyes drift just a little more south and he swallows, hard, as he sees his pants on Akechi’s body, stiff and tented with arousal. 

“Standards, huh? Says that one who was just humping me like the dog he is,” he says it proudly, leaning forward and placing his hand against Akechi’s shoulder and pressing with little force. Akechi looks at the hand then allows himself to be pushed back on the bed, but rolls his eyes as he does so. He moves to sit between Akechi’s legs, and watches his face for any kind of indication that he should stop. Akechi is watching him back, his chest rising and falling quickly as he breaths, his firsts clenching the sheets below them. “Are you okay?” And he receives a nod in response.

“Keep going,” Akechi demands.

Ren steadies himself by placing one hand on Akechi’s thigh and uses the other hand to run it along the fabric over his stomach and is rewarded by a light moan as Akechi shuts his eyes, arching up into the touch. He dares to go farther, running both hands up Akechi’s clothed chest and the boy beneath him whines pathetically and squirms “What happened to those standards, Akechi?” Ren finds one of his nipples and rubs his thumb over the area and Akechi gasps again “What? No one’s ever touched you before?” 

“Will you shut the Hell up?” With both hands, Akechi reaches up and grabs Ren by his collar, pulling him down so he’s just above him. Both their members press against each other when he does so, causing Ren to curse and Akechi bucks his hips up against him again, then again, then another time and keeps up the pace. Ren let’s his head dip, pressing his forehead against Akechi’s as he whimpers each time their hips make contact. It’s unbearable. Akechi has moved his hands from gripping his collar to now firmly panting both hands on his ass, holding him in place as they rock against one another desperately, erratically, and frantically. “I want to kiss your stupid face.”

Ren’s hand had found its way to Akechi’s hair, tugging at it while his other arm kept him propped up. Akechi is whining, bucking faster against him “Then do it, coward,” Ren responds. And he’s feeling that pressure in his stomach from earlier come racing back and he knows he’s close. He closes his eyes, waiting for the touch of Akechi’s lips to his again and for the pressure to release.

But, then Akechi stops.

And his hands are retreating from his ass.

Wait, why were they covering his face now?

Ren blinks. Then blinks again as he looks down at Akechi, whose face is completely covered by his hands. Ren’s hips are still pressed hard against Akechi’s own, and he whines, missing the precious friction “ Why’d you…?” Then, there is mumbling behind Akechi’s hands as he attempts to respond “I can’t hear you. Are you okay?”

“I said I can’t. I haven’t brushed my teeth yet,” The hands covering Akechi’s face move, now covering only his mouth as he looks up at him.

Oh.My.God.

“Akechi...please don’t tell me you’re cock-blocking us both right now because you need to brush your teeth,” Ren pouts and rolls off of him to lay on his side. He reaches up and ruffles Akechi’s frizzy hair, smirking when he rolls his eyes and shoves his hand away.

“It’s disgusting. Do you want my mouth germs all over you?.” Akechi rolls onto his side as well, facing away from him. Was he really that embarrassed by morning breath?

Ren presses a light kiss to the exposed skin of Akechi’s neck, nipping at him before sucking gently. He can feel him shiver in his arms and Ren slides his hand up the front of Akechi’s shirt to which he moans deeply, rocking his hips and his eyes flutter closed.“You kissed me yesterday before school. Wasn’t it disgusting then too?”

Akechi grips Ren’s sheets when his teeth sink into a rather sensitive spot, nearly growling as he bucks his hips again.“I brushed my teeth in the Goddamn kitchen while you were hogging my bathroom you shit. I just so happen to carry a spare, you never know when you might have an impromptu interview.”

Lips meet his ear and Ren sucks there as well, nipping as Akechi lets out another soft moan, whispering under his breath for him to keep going. Ren’s hand travels farther up his chest and toys with one of his nipples “Oh, I see. So it’s okay for me to give you _my_ mouth germs. But if it’s you…” He twists the small nub in his fingers and licks the shell of Akechi’s ear and Akechi begins to melt back into him, softly whispering for him to keep going, pleading him to not stop. 

Ren’s fingers then brush up against Akechi’s bare ribs and he yelps, eyes opening. Suddenly, he starts flailing and elbows Ren in the side. Holy shit, Ren grins widely at the knowledge that Goro Akechi is ticklish. “Don’t you _dare,_ ” Akechi warns. But it’s too late, and Ren is relentless as he goes back at the spot, twisting Akechi around so that he’s pinned beneath him again and ravishing the spot with light touches.

Akechi is laughing, smiling, and begging him to stop between fits of giggles, trying to push him off. “Give up, Detective. I have the high ground.” By some incredible feat, Ren manages to catch both of Akechi’s wrists above his head and pins them there, giving him free range to keep tickling him with his other hand. Below, Akechi attempts to free his legs and kick him. But Ren is merciless, tickling and swiftly moving all over to see if there are other ticklish spots as well.

And to his surprise, he finds out that Akechi is also (adorably) ticklish under his arms and on his belly and a very certain spot on his hips. “Amamiya!” When he looks back at him, Akechi is pouting, and wiggling trying to get free. Face flushed and body stretched, Ren wishes that he could remove the clothes between them and see every taut muscle in his body laid before him.

He was not about to let off this adorable boy so easily “Kiss me, and I’ll let you go.”

“So gross....”

“Just give up,” he coos “ it doesn’t matter.” Ren goes back in, now tickling his overly sensitive ribs. This causes Akechi to buck and squirm even more now, the pout turning into a smile, and his whole body shaking as he laughs. Both are breathing deeply, grinning, not wanting to lose this game. And Akechi, with a mischievous glint shining beneath rust colored eyes, finally says what Ren is waiting to hear.

“Fine!” Surprised that he’d be giving in so soon, Ren let’s go of Akechi, but is immediately overpowered.The older boy sits up with such speed and force that he knocks him onto his back. Akechi, now sitting over top of Ren, looks down, smirking at him. “What were you saying about having the high ground?”

“Mm, I think I can fix that,” Ren winks, and Akechi looks at him with a puzzled expression.

Ren grabs Akechi’s waist and grinds up into him causing him to yelp and fall forward. He lands with a thud onto Ren’s chest, and they begin to pick up where they left off previously, moving their hips quickly against one another. The tickle war is all but forgotten now (but Ren makes a mental note that he should pick it up at a later time.) And before he has the chance to beg Akechi to kiss him again, said boy’s teeth are nipping as his neck and tongue sliding across his skin. He’s at a loss for words and begins tugging at Akechi’s hair once more, his hips gaining speed as he feels his climax approaching once again.

When Ren pulls back to look at him, he can tell Akechi’s close as well. Panting, moaning as their cocks slide past one another beneath their clothes. Needy whines escape his mouth as his thrusts gain speed, pressure, yet becoming more unsteady. Then, Akechi is closing his eyes and gasping lewdly, nails digging into Ren’s ribs as he leans in to press a messy kiss to his lips. He kisses back, nipping, tounging at his mouth just as eagerly as Akechi does to him. And he’s coming as well, rocking against Akechi and riding out the waves of his climax as he feels the boy above him also going limp, but his lips still pressed tightly against his.

Every muscle in his body relaxes all at the same time and Akechi’s weight on top of him is comforting, lips pressed against his and slowly moving, moaning, and no longer caring apparently about his lack of brushed teeth. Then, Akechi is rolling off of him and looks thoroughly disgusted, nose and eyebrows scrunched. “You okay?” Ren asks.

“I think we both need some new pants,” Akechi replies, already slipping out of the borrowed pair from Ren and tossing them onto the floor before pulling the blanket tight around his waist “and don't even think of trying to look.”

Ren groans as he gets up, legs feeling like jelly as he drags his body to get new pants for them both. He digs around in a box of clothes, and he wants to bang his head against the wall as he realises he hasn’t done laundry in a hot minute. The only extra pair of pants that weren’t skin tight jeans or slacks, were his short shorts we wore when lounging in the attic during the summer months. Well, at least no one would see them, right?

He holds up a baby blue pair and a hot pink one towards Akechi, trying not to snicker “pick your poison.” 

Akechi’s face twists, frowning, and crosses his arms “You can’t be serious. Do you have nothing else?”

“You can choose to sleep with your dick hanging out, ” Ren crosses the room and sits back on the bed, winking at him “ I don’t mind.”

The baby blue pair is snatched from Ren’s hands and Akechi maneuvers them onto his body while keeping under the blanket then turns his head away to give Ren some privacy “You’re insufferable.” 

“Does ‘insufferable’ fall outside of your standards?” Ren lets his pants fall to the group and switches into the shorts before cuddling back up to Akechi, nuzzling into his back and letting an arm drape around him. Akechi in return holds his hand in his, and turns his head slightly to look over his shoulder, a small smile gracing his lips.

They stay like that for a moment, the sun now lightning up the entire room. Ren looks over every bit of Akechi he can in that moment. From the soft look in his eyes, the tired smile, little hickies lining his neck. He’s absolutely beautiful. Mysterious, broken, and vulnerable as well. Ren can tell his guard is down, and this is the closest he assumes anyone has been to seeing the true Akechi in a long time. He wants to protect him, never let anything happen to this boy who is finally breaking down his walls and giving someone a chance.

“I think I can make an exception.” Akechi’s voice is barely above a whisper as he twists and faces Ren fully once again. Akechi’s gaze has lost the fire from earlier, but the passion still lingers, soft yet yearning as he places a chaste kiss to Ren’s jaw and threads his fingers through his messy locks.

“It’s still early, we could probably get a bit more sleep before the regulars get here.” Ren mumbles against his ear.

“Mmm, that sounds nice,” he snuggles his face into his neck and wraps his arms around his torso. Ren holds him close, and listens to the relaxing sounds of Akechi’s breathing as the both bask in the afterglow of their previous endeavor. 

* * *

Ren said they could probably get a bit more sleep.

But what a fucking lie that was.

It’s only been five minutes into their new cuddle session and Akechi is trying to fall back asleep when there is a chime from downstairs, alerting them that someone has just entered the cafe. Akechi sighs and he feels Ren do the same before whispering “it’s probably just Boss opening up shop.” Good, it better be. He is finally enjoying the best night of sleep in _months_ and if it’s another one of Ren’s damn friends about to ruin another intimate moment he is going to cut a bitch.

But of course, their is the distinctive sound of feet tip-toeing up the stairs and Akechi feels himself only a few seconds away from sentencing someone to capital punishment. Ren pulls away from him, and quickly crosses the attic with Akechi’s eyes glued to the tight shorts as he does so. He can hear the voice of what seems to be a soft spoken girl and Ren talking near the bottom of the staircase. Akechi tries to listen in, but when he’s unable to make out their words, gives up.

Instead, he thinks about the events that had just transpired. Both tried yet rubbing up against each other until climax. Ren, so eager to pleasure him and tease him at the same time. How cute he had even found it the idiot was so damn needy and willing to give at the same time. Akechi chuckles to himself as he feels the now familiar warmth wash over him, the one he’s started to associate with being near Ren. He feels like a love sick schoolgirl pinning after her crush, but he doesn’t hate it.

In fact, he yearns for it. 

It’s new, it’s exciting, and every single damn thing Ren does is unexpected and keeps him on his toes. Akechi feels utterly intoxicated with him, addicted and needing him to already come back. More than anything, he wants to be swept up into his arms again, feel his lips pressed against every inch of his body, and drink in the feeling of fullness in his heart that only Ren seemed to provide. 

He’s still smiling when Ren enters back into the room and from downstairs the bell chimes once again. Ren places something on the table next to his TV then catches sight of Akechi looking at him. He gives a tender smile back “What’s that look for?” Ren asks.

“I missed you,” Akechi responds as he sits up and pats the empty spot beside him.

“I was only gone for a minute, jeez,” he teases as he crawls up to Akechi and kisses him firmly on the mouth. The kiss catches him off guard slightly, but he kisses back into it. When Akechi lets a small moan escape his lips, Ren pulls back slightly to warn him that Sojiro was in fact downstairs, reminding him they needed to keep quiet. Akechi nods and presses their lips back together. 

Ren’s tongue slips into his mouth and he has to hold back a moan then returns the gesture. It’s playful, cute, and pure. Akechi feels himself smiling into the kiss before pulling back to get a good look at the cheeky bastard who stole his heart. The daft, fanboy that bulldozered his way into Akechi’s life and turned everything he knew upside down in only a matter of days, showing him that he didn’t have to keep everything walled up. If Makoto had never had invited him here, would he still be spending sleepless nights holed up on his couch and wallowing in self pity?

He isn’t perfect, far from it. But Ren gives him hope that maybe he could be something better than what he thought he was. Akechi feels his stomach flutter and it’s both sickening and beautiful at the same time.

Ren crosses his legs onto the bed and Akechi can’t help but stare at his exposed legs, the vibrant pink shorts tight against his skin and stretching only midway down his thighs. He remembers how tight they had also been on his ass as he had walked downstairs and he chuckles “Why do you even have shorts this short anyway? Not that I'm really complaining.”

“Ryuji gave them to me last summer, and I had to wear them to the beach as a dare” He stretches one leg over Akechi’s lap “Mmm, like what you see then?”

Akechi runs a finger along the soft skin of his inner thigh and Ren twitches slightly when he hits a sensitive spot. “In fact, I do. You’re going to have to wear these more often.” He wants to play with the other’s body more, explore more areas currently unknown to them both, but he also doesn’t want to ruin the suspense. He wants to do this again and again until they’re able to memorize each other's body. Ren opens his arms to him and he leans into his embrace.

“Do you remember Yusuke’s question? About the party?” He tenses, and yes, of course he remembers that damn question. When he doesn’t answer right away, Ren keeps going “Well, I was just wondering if you were interested in joining us is all.” 

He thinks it over in his head. 

Every year was spent more or less the same. Lonely, hating the few days leading up to Christmas, and cursing all the happy couples as well as they went about their happy lives. Although school, work, and everything else had seemed to basically go the same as every year so far, these last few days proved to be different, bringing in a light and warmth he hadn’t been able to enjoy since he was so young. Maybe, just maybe he could do this.

“I’d love to,” he finally replies “Will it be here?

“Great! We were originally planning to have it here. But, my friend Haru just stopped by to talk about the plans on her way to talk to some business guys or something” Ren let’s go of him and excitement radiates off of him as he rushes over to the TV stand, grabbing whatever it was he had placed there before. “She talked to her dad, and he was able to rent us a place instead.” 

Akechi thinks back to the night before, and remembers hearing the name, but there hadn’t been much more information other than that about the girl “What kind of place?” 

Papers in hand, Ren shoves them into Akechi’s face with a huge grin “He got us the Castle suit at Destiny Land! I’ve never been before, and she said her dad got us the suit and fast passes to all the rides. How awesome is that?” Ren looks over the papers in his hands and Akechi can’t help comparing him to a small child excited at Christmas. The boy looks genuinely happy. 

For as long as he could remember, Akechi couldn’t recall a time he had been as happy as he was right now watching Ren gush. Saying how his parents told him when he was younger they’d take him, but he never got to go. How it was his dream to one day ride the giant Ferris wheel there, and how he really wanted a pair of those ridiculous animal ear headbands. He goes on to list other things he wanted to do, such as all the rides, plushies he wanted to buy, and the foods he wanted to eat. And Akechi doesn’t stop him, he just let’s Ren go on and on.

Ren places the tickets on his desk and begins to calm down as the excitement fades “I think you’re going to like everyone. It’s going to be great.” 

“I have no doubt that it would be anything less.” Akechi says as he stands. But as he does so, his stomach rumbles loudly.

“So much for trying to sleep in a bit. Why don’t we go grab something to eat then? I know a great place. You’re going to love it.” Ren begins sorting through clothes, pulling out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. 

Akechi gathers his clothes from the previous day, slips into them and checks the time “Ren Amamiya it is 6:58 in the morning. Nowhere decent is open and I swear to all that is Holy if you say we’re going to Bi-...”

“...okay yes it’s Big Bang Burger…”

“...I’m going to actually kick your ass...do be aware of that.” He finishes getting dressed and gathers up his belongings. “Let’s get this over with then.” Akechi heads down the stairs and catches the attention of Sojiro who merely gives him a once over, looks at Ren who comes down the stairs after him, but doesn’t question them. Only simply wishing Akechi a good morning as he exits the cafe. Outside, it’s still early, the back streets empty as Ren joins him, “I’ll let you hold my hand only to the train station, okay? Not a second longer.” 

A quick kiss is placed on his cheek and Akechi glares and looks up and down the street, thankful no one was there. Ren takes his hand and Akechi grumbles a few curses under his breath as they walk “I didn’t say you could kiss me.”

“Still disgusting?” Ren asks.

“No, you’re just a huge dork,” just before they breach the entryway to the station Ren takes him into his arms one last time and he lets him. He can’t get enough of his touches, the feeling of his arms around him, holding tightly. And despite his previous protesting, he lowers his voice and asks for one final kiss, which Ren provides. It’s quick, much less enthusiastic than before, but it still fills his stomach with butterflies. As they pass into the station, Akechi distances himself from Ren once again and Ren doesn’t make any move to come closer than he physically needs to.

They walk in a comfortable silence to the train, commenting on mundane topics such as the weather, Akechi’s next TV appearance, and Ren even brings up the Jazz club again saying that he’d like to go back there sometime with him. Talking with Ren, it isn’t fake, and it doesn’t feel boring or forced either, it never does. And as they board their train destined for Shibuya, even the thought of watching this idiot gorge on a burger possibly three times bigger than his head, he feels at peace for once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for getting this far! It's been a ton of fun writing this and thank you for all the comments last chapter <3 as always I want to say it means so much to me.
> 
> Plans for this weekend is to go back over the last few chapters and fix some of the typos I noticed when I had to reference a few parts. Good gosh, Im sorry guys! Going to try and get as many of those fixed as possible this weekend. For now, hopefully I caught as much as I could in this chpater.
> 
> Please stay tuned for the next chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> Special Shout out to the best Beta out there who helped read over this and helped me out. And constantly puts up with all my Persona rambles everyday. I LOVE YOU. 
> 
> I TRIED to add chat logs for both Akechi and Ren (they're currently finished but they're not added in yet) but I couldn't figure out how to add them as photos yet. So hopefully, I can get those figured out and added in.
> 
> Thank you for making it all the way here!!!


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